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Squire E, Lee HL, Jeong W, Lee S, Ravichandiran V, Limoli CL, Piomelli D, Parihar VK, Jung KM. Targeting dysfunctional endocannabinoid signaling in a mouse model of Gulf War illness. Neuropharmacology 2024; 261:110142. [PMID: 39241906 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110142] [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: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic disorder characterized by a heterogeneous set of symptoms that include pain, fatigue, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. These are thought to stem from damage caused by exposure under unpredictable stress to toxic Gulf War (GW) chemicals, which include pesticides, nerve agents, and prophylactic drugs. We hypothesized that GWI pathogenesis might be rooted in long-lasting disruption of the endocannabinoid (ECB) system, a signaling complex that serves important protective functions in the brain. Using a mouse model of GWI, we found that tissue levels of the ECB messenger, anandamide, were significantly reduced in the brain of diseased mice, compared to healthy controls. In addition, transcription of the Faah gene, which encodes for fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme that deactivates anandamide, was significant elevated in prefrontal cortex of GWI mice and brain microglia. Behavioral deficits exhibited by these animals, including heightened anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors, and defective extinction of fearful memories, were corrected by administration of the FAAH inhibitor, URB597, which normalized brain anandamide levels. Furthermore, GWI mice displayed unexpected changes in the microglial transcriptome, implying persistent dampening of homeostatic surveillance genes and abnormal expression of pro-inflammatory genes upon immune stimulation. Together, these results suggest that exposure to GW chemicals produce a deficit in brain ECB signaling which is associated with persistent alterations in microglial function. Pharmacological normalization of anandamide-mediated ECB signaling may offer an effective therapeutic strategy for ameliorating GWI symptomology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Squire
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Hye-Lim Lee
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Woojin Jeong
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Sumin Lee
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - V Ravichandiran
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India
| | - Charles L Limoli
- Radiation Oncology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Daniele Piomelli
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Vipan Kumar Parihar
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India; Radiation Oncology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Kwang-Mook Jung
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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Ramirez-Sanchez I, Navarrete-Yañez V, Espinosa-Raya J, Rubio-Gayosso I, Palma-Flores C, Mendoza-Lorenzo P, Ordoñez-Razo R, Estrada-Mena J, Ceballos G, Villarreal F. Neurological Restorative Effects of (-)-Epicatechin in a Model of Gulf War Illness. J Med Food 2024. [PMID: 39321070 DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2023.0200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) afflicts US military personnel who served in the Persian Gulf War. Suspect causal agents include exposure to pyridostigmine (PB), permethrin (PM) and N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). Prominent symptoms include cognitive deficits, such as memory impairment. In aging animal models, we have documented the beneficial effect of the flavanol (-)-epicatechin (Epi) on hippocampus structure and related function. Using a rat model of GWI, we examined the effects of Epi on hippocampus inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, cell death/survival pathways, and memory endpoints. Male Wistar rats underwent 3 weeks of exposure to either vehicles or DEET, PM, PB, and stress. Subgroups of GWI rats were then allocated to receive orally 15 days of either water (vehicle) or 1 mg/kg/day of Epi treatment. Object recognition tasks were performed to assess memory. Hippocampus samples were analyzed. Epi treatment yields significant improvements in short- and long-term memory versus GWI rats. Hippocampus oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels showed significant increases with GWI that were largely normalized with Epi becoming comparable to controls. Significant increases in markers of hippocampus neuroinflammation and cell death were noted with GWI and were also largely reduced with Epi. Neuronal survival signaling pathways were adversely impacted by GWI and were partially or fully restored by Epi. Markers of mitochondrial function were adversely impacted by GWI and were fully restored by Epi. In conclusion, in an animal model of GWI, Epi beneficially impacts recognized markers of hippocampus neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, cell survival, neurotoxicity and mitochondrial function leading to improved memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israel Ramirez-Sanchez
- School of Medicine, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
- Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Viridiana Navarrete-Yañez
- Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Judith Espinosa-Raya
- Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Ivan Rubio-Gayosso
- Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Carlos Palma-Flores
- Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Patricia Mendoza-Lorenzo
- Division Academica de Ciencias Basicas, Unidad Chontalpa, Universidad Juarez Autonoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Mexico
| | - Rosa Ordoñez-Razo
- Unidad de Investigacion Medica en Genetica Humana, Hosital de Pediatria, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | | | - Guillermo Ceballos
- Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Francisco Villarreal
- School of Medicine, UCSD, La Jolla, California, USA
- VA San Diego Health Care, San Diego, California, USA
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Marshall-Gradisnik S, Martini Sasso E, Eaton-Fitch N, Smith P, Baraniuk JN, Muraki K. Novel characterization of endogenous transient receptor potential melastatin 3 ion channels from Gulf War Illness participants. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305704. [PMID: 38917121 PMCID: PMC11198784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic condition characterized by multisystem symptoms that still affect up to one-third of veterans who engaged in combat in the Gulf War three decades ago. The aetiology of GWI is mainly explained by exposure to multiple toxic agents, vaccines, and medications. As there is a significant overlap in symptoms between GWI and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), the objective of this study was to investigate a biomarker widely reported in Natural Killer (NK) cells from ME/CFS patients, the Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 3 (TRPM3) ion channel. NK cells from 6 healthy controls (HC) and 6 GWI participants were isolated, and TRPM3 function was assessed through whole-cell patch-clamp. As demonstrated by prior studies, NK cells from HC expressed typical TRPM3 function after pharmacomodulation. In contrast, this pilot investigation demonstrates a dysfunctional TRPM3 in NK cells from GWI participants through application of a TRPM3 agonist and confirmed by a TRPM3 antagonist. There was a significant reduction in TRPM3 function from GWI than results measured in HC. This study provides an unprecedented research field to investigate the involvement of TRP ion channels in the pathomechanism and potential medical interventions to improve GWI quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik
- The National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- Consortium Health International for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Etianne Martini Sasso
- The National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- Consortium Health International for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Natalie Eaton-Fitch
- The National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- Consortium Health International for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Peter Smith
- Consortium Health International for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- Clinical Medicine, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - James N. Baraniuk
- Consortium Health International for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Katsuhiko Muraki
- Consortium Health International for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- Laboratory of Cellular Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aichi-Gakuin University, Nagoya, Japan
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Enye LA, Edem EE, Onyeogaziri LI, Yusuf A, Ikpade BO, Ikuelogbon DA, Kunlere OE, Adedokun MA. Tiger nut/coconut dietary intervention as antidotal nutritional remediation strategy against neurobehavioural deficits following organophosphate-induced gut-brain axis dysregulation in mice. Toxicol Rep 2024; 12:23-40. [PMID: 38193024 PMCID: PMC10772296 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2023.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Organophosphate poisoning remains a global health crisis without efficacious treatments to prevent neurotoxicity. We examined whether antidotal tiger nut and coconut dietary intervention could ameliorate neurobehavioral deficits from organophosphate dichlorvos-induced gut-brain axis dysregulation in a mouse model. Mice were divided into groups given control diet, dichlorvos-contaminated diets, or dichlorvos plus nut-enriched diets. They were exposed to a DDVP-contaminated diet for 4 weeks before exposure to the treatment diets for another 8 weeks. This was followed by behavioural assessments for cognitive, motor, anxiety-, and depressive-like behaviours. Faecal samples (pre- and post-treatment), as well as blood, brain, and gut tissues, were collected for biochemical assessments following euthanasia. Dichlorvos-exposed mice displayed impairments in cognition, motor function, and mood along with disrupted inflammatory and antioxidant responses, neurotrophic factor levels, and acetylcholinesterase activity in brain and intestinal tissues. Weight loss and altered short-chain fatty acid levels additionally indicated gut dysfunction. However, intervention with tiger nut and/or coconut- enriched diet after dichlorvos exposure attenuated these neurobehavioral, and biochemical alterations. Our findings demonstrate organophosphate-induced communication disruptions between the gut and brain pathways that manifest in neuropsychiatric disturbances. Overall, incorporating fibre-rich nuts may represent an antidotal dietary strategy to reduce neurotoxicity and prevent brain disorders associated with organophosphate poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linus Anderson Enye
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - Edem Ekpenyong Edem
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - Lydia Ijeoma Onyeogaziri
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - Augustine Yusuf
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - Bliss Oluwafunmi Ikpade
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | | | - Oladunni Eunice Kunlere
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - Mujeeb Adekunle Adedokun
- Stress & Neuroimmunology Group, Neuroscience Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
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Scorza FA, Almeida ACGD, Fiorini AC, Chaddad-Neto F, Finsterer J. Neurogenesis and pesticides: news of no new neurons. ARQUIVOS DE NEURO-PSIQUIATRIA 2024; 82:1-5. [PMID: 38763143 PMCID: PMC11102810 DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1786853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
New hippocampal neurons are continuously generated in the adult human brain. Several studies have demonstrated that the proliferation of hippocampal cells is strongly influenced by a variety of stimuli, including pesticides exposure. These effects are particularly important because neurogenesis dysregulation could be associated with the decline of neuronal and cognitive functions and the possible development of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulvio A. Scorza
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Departamento de Neurologia, Disciplina de Neurologia, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
- Ministério do Desenvolvimento Agrário e Agricultura Familiar, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
| | - Antonio-Carlos G. de Almeida
- Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Departamento de Engenharia de Biossistemas, Laboratório de Neurociência Experimental e Computacional, São João del-Rei MG, Brazil.
| | - Ana C. Fiorini
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Programa de Estudos Pós-Graduado em Fonoaudiologia, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
| | - Feres Chaddad-Neto
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Departamento de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
- Hospital Beneficência Portuguesa, Unidade de Neurocirurgia, São Paulo SP, Brazil.
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6
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Shaikh AL, Murray KE, Ravindranath V, Citron BA. Gulf war toxicant-induced effects on the hippocampal dendritic arbor are reversed by treatment with a Withania somnifera extract. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1368667. [PMID: 38449731 PMCID: PMC10915031 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1368667] [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: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a multi-symptom disorder that manifests with fatigue, sleep disturbances, mood-cognition pathologies, and musculoskeletal symptoms. GWI affects at least 25% of the military personnel that served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from 1990 to 1991. We modeled Gulf War toxicant exposure in C57BL/6J mice by combined exposure to pyridostigmine bromide (an anti-sarin drug), chlorpyrifos (an organophosphate insecticide), and DEET (an insect repellent) for 10 days followed by oral treatment with Withania somnifera root extract for 21 days beginning at 12 weeks post-exposure. W. somnifera, commonly referred to as ashwagandha, has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to improve memory and reduce inflammation, and its roots contain bioactive molecules which share functional groups with modern pain, cancer, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Previously, we observed that GWI mice displayed chronic reductions in dendritic arbor and loss of spines in granule cells of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus at 14 weeks post-exposure. Here, we examined the effects of treatment with W. somnifera root extract on chronic dendrite and spine morphology in dentate granule cells of the mouse hippocampus following Gulf War toxicant exposure. GWI mice showed approximately 25% decreases in dendritic length (p < 0.0001) and overall dendritic spine density with significant reductions in thin and mushroom spines. GWI mice treated with the Ayurvedic W. somnifera extract exhibited dendritic lengths and spine densities near normal levels. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of the Ayurvedic treatment for neuroprotection following these toxic exposures. We hope that the extract and the neuronal processes influenced will open new avenues of research regarding treatment of Gulf War Illness and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaan L. Shaikh
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Research & Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, United States
- School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Kathleen E. Murray
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Research & Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, United States
- School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
| | | | - Bruce A. Citron
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Research & Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, United States
- School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, & Neuroscience, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
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Murray KE, Ratliff WA, Delic V, Citron BA. Gulf War toxicant-induced reductions in dendritic arbors and spine densities of dentate granule cells are improved by treatment with a Nrf2 activator. Brain Res 2024; 1823:148682. [PMID: 37989436 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148682] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multi-symptom disorder affecting approximately 30 % of Veterans deployed to the Persian Gulf from 1990 to 91. GWI encompasses a wide spectrum of symptoms which frequently include neurological problems such as learning and memory impairments, mood disorders, and an increased incidence of neurodegenerative disorders. Combined exposure to both reversible and irreversible acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors has been identified as a likely risk factor for GWI. It is possible that the exposures affected connectivity in the brain, and it was also unknown whether this could benefit from treatment. We assessed chronic changes in dendritic architecture in granule cells of the dentate gyrus following exposure to pyridostigmine bromide (PB, 0.7 mg/kg), chlorpyrifos (CPF, 12.5 mg/kg), and N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET, 7.5 mg/kg) in male C57Bl/6J mice. We also evaluated the therapeutic effects of dietary administration for eight weeks of 1 % tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ), a Nrf2 activator, on long-term neuronal morphology. We found that Gulf War toxicant exposure resulted in reduced dendritic length and branching as well as overall spine density in dentate granule cells at 14 weeks post-exposure and that these effects were ameliorated by treatment with tBHQ. These findings indicate that Gulf War toxicant exposure results in chronic changes to dentate granule cell morphology and that modulation of neuroprotective transcription factors such as Nrf2 may improve long-term neuronal health in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Murray
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Research & Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ 07018, USA; School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Whitney A Ratliff
- Research & Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Bay Pines, FL 33744, USA
| | - Vedad Delic
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Research & Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ 07018, USA; School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Bruce A Citron
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Research & Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ 07018, USA; School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
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Aracava Y, Albuquerque EX, Pereira EFR. (R,S)-trihexyphenidyl, acting via a muscarinic receptor-independent mechanism, inhibits hippocampal glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic transmissions: Potential relevance for treatment of organophosphorus intoxication. Neuropharmacology 2023; 239:109684. [PMID: 37549771 PMCID: PMC10590273 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109684] [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: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Preclinical studies have reported that, compared to the muscarinic receptor (mAChR) antagonist atropine, (R,S)-trihexyphenidyl (THP) more effectively counters the cholinergic crisis, seizures, and neuropathology triggered by organophosphorus (OP)-induced acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition. The greater effectiveness of THP was attributed to its ability to block mAChRs and N-methyl-d-aspartate-type glutamatergic receptors (NMDARs) in the brain. However, THP also inhibits α7 nicotinic receptors (nAChRs). The present study examined whether THP-induced inhibition of mAChRs, α7 nAChRs, and NMDARs is required to suppress glutamatergic synaptic transmission, whose overstimulation sustains OP-induced seizures. In primary hippocampal cultures, THP (1-30 μM) suppressed the frequency of excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs and IPSCs, respectively) recorded from neurons in nominally Mg2+-free solution. A single sigmoidal function adequately fit the overlapping concentration-response relationships for THP-induced suppression of IPSC and EPSC frequencies yielding an IC50 of 6.3 ± 1.3 μM. Atropine (1 μM), the NMDAR antagonist d,l-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D,L-AP5, 50 μM), and the α7 nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine (MLA, 10 nM) did not prevent THP-induced inhibition of synaptic transmission. THP (10 μM) did not affect the probability of transmitter release because it had no effect on the frequency of miniature IPSCs and EPSCs recorded in the presence of tetrodotoxin. Additionally, THP had no effect on the amplitudes and decay-time constants of miniature IPSCs and EPSCs; therefore, it did not affect the activity of postsynaptic GABAA and glutamate receptors. This study provides the first demonstration that THP can suppress action potential-dependent synaptic transmission via a mechanism independent of NMDAR, mAChR, and α7 nAChR inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasco Aracava
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Edson X Albuquerque
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Edna F R Pereira
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Toltin AC, Belkadi A, Gamba LM, Hossain MM. The Preventive Effects of Salubrinal against Pyrethroid-Induced Disruption of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15614. [PMID: 37958604 PMCID: PMC10648946 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115614] [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: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors, including pesticide exposure, have been identified as substantial contributors to neurodegeneration and cognitive impairments. Previously, we demonstrated that repeated exposure to deltamethrin induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, reduces hippocampal neurogenesis, and impairs cognition in adult mice. Here, we investigated the potential relationship between ER stress and hippocampal neurogenesis following exposure to deltamethrin, utilizing both pharmacological and genetic approaches. To investigate whether ER stress is associated with inhibition of neurogenesis, mice were given two intraperitoneal injections of eIf2α inhibitor salubrinal (1 mg/kg) at 24 h and 30 min prior to the oral administration of deltamethrin (3 mg/kg). Salubrinal prevented hippocampal ER stress, as indicated by decreased levels of C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) and transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and attenuated deltamethrin-induced reductions in BrdU-, Ki-67-, and DCX-positive cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. To further explore the relationship between ER stress and adult neurogenesis, we used caspase-12 knockout (KO) mice. The caspase-12 KO mice exhibited significant protection against deltamethrin-induced reduction of BrdU-, Ki-67-, and DCX-positive cells in the hippocampus. In addition, deltamethrin exposure led to a notable upregulation of CHOP and caspase-12 expression in a significant portion of BrdU- and Ki-67-positive cells in WT mice. Conversely, both salubrinal-treated mice and caspase-12 KO mice exhibited a considerably lower number of CHOP-positive cells in the hippocampus. Together, these findings suggest that exposure to the insecticide deltamethrin triggers ER stress-mediated suppression of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, which may subsequently contribute to learning and memory deficits in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Muhammad M. Hossain
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
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Golomb BA, Sanchez Baez R, Schilling JM, Dhanani M, Fannon MJ, Berg BK, Miller BJ, Taub PR, Patel HH. Mitochondrial impairment but not peripheral inflammation predicts greater Gulf War illness severity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10739. [PMID: 37438460 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35896-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Gulf War illness (GWI) is an important exemplar of environmentally-triggered chronic multisymptom illness, and a potential model for accelerated aging. Inflammation is the main hypothesized mechanism for GWI, with mitochondrial impairment also proposed. No study has directly assessed mitochondrial respiratory chain function (MRCF) on muscle biopsy in veterans with GWI (VGWI). We recruited 42 participants, half VGWI, with biopsy material successfully secured in 36. Impaired MRCF indexed by complex I and II oxidative phosphorylation with glucose as a fuel source (CI&CIIOXPHOS) related significantly or borderline significantly in the predicted direction to 17 of 20 symptoms in the combined sample. Lower CI&CIIOXPHOS significantly predicted GWI severity in the combined sample and in VGWI separately, with or without adjustment for hsCRP. Higher-hsCRP (peripheral inflammation) related strongly to lower-MRCF (particularly fatty acid oxidation (FAO) indices) in VGWI, but not in controls. Despite this, whereas greater MRCF-impairment predicted greater GWI symptoms and severity, greater inflammation did not. Surprisingly, adjusted for MRCF, higher hsCRP significantly predicted lesser symptom severity in VGWI selectively. Findings comport with a hypothesis in which the increased inflammation observed in GWI is driven by FAO-defect-induced mitochondrial apoptosis. In conclusion, impaired mitochondrial function-but not peripheral inflammation-predicts greater GWI symptoms and severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice A Golomb
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0995, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0995, USA.
| | - Roel Sanchez Baez
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0995, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0995, USA
- San Ysidro Health Center, San Diego, CA, 92114, USA
| | - Jan M Schilling
- VA San Diego Healthcare System and Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA
| | - Mehul Dhanani
- VA San Diego Healthcare System and Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA
- Avidity Biosciences, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - McKenzie J Fannon
- VA San Diego Healthcare System and Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA
| | - Brinton K Berg
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0995, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0995, USA
| | - Bruce J Miller
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0995, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0995, USA
| | - Pam R Taub
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Hemal H Patel
- VA San Diego Healthcare System and Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA
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11
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Cresto N, Forner-Piquer I, Baig A, Chatterjee M, Perroy J, Goracci J, Marchi N. Pesticides at brain borders: Impact on the blood-brain barrier, neuroinflammation, and neurological risk trajectories. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 324:138251. [PMID: 36878369 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides are omnipresent, and they pose significant environmental and health risks. Translational studies indicate that acute exposure to high pesticide levels is detrimental, and prolonged contact with low concentrations of pesticides, as single and cocktail, could represent a risk factor for multi-organ pathophysiology, including the brain. Within this research template, we focus on pesticides' impact on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and neuroinflammation, physical and immunological borders for the homeostatic control of the central nervous system (CNS) neuronal networks. We examine the evidence supporting a link between pre- and postnatal pesticide exposure, neuroinflammatory responses, and time-depend vulnerability footprints in the brain. Because of the pathological influence of BBB damage and inflammation on neuronal transmission from early development, varying exposures to pesticides could represent a danger, perhaps accelerating adverse neurological trajectories during aging. Refining our understanding of how pesticides influence brain barriers and borders could enable the implementation of pesticide-specific regulatory measures directly relevant to environmental neuroethics, the exposome, and one-health frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemie Cresto
- Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Isabel Forner-Piquer
- Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, United Kingdom.
| | - Asma Baig
- Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
| | - Mousumi Chatterjee
- Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
| | - Julie Perroy
- Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Nicola Marchi
- Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.
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12
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Carreras I, Jung Y, Lopez-Benitez J, Tognoni CM, Dedeoglu A. Fingolimod mitigates memory loss in a mouse model of Gulf War Illness amid decreasing the activation of microglia, protein kinase R, and NFκB. Neurotoxicology 2023; 96:197-206. [PMID: 37160207 PMCID: PMC10334821 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is an unrelenting multi-symptom illness with chronic central nervous system and peripheral pathology affecting veterans from the 1991 Gulf War and for which effective treatment is lacking. An increasing number of studies indicate that persistent neuroinflammation is likely the underlying cause of cognitive and mood dysfunction that affects veterans with GWI. We have previously reported that fingolimod, a drug approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, decreases neuroinflammation and improves cognition in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we investigated the effect of fingolimod treatment on cognition and neuroinflammation in a mouse model of GWI. We exposed C57BL/6 J male mice to GWI-related chemicals pyridostigmine bromide, DEET, and permethrin, and to mild restraint stress for 28 days (GWI mice). Control mice were exposed to the chemicals' vehicle only. Starting 3 months post-exposure, half of the GWI mice and control mice were orally treated with fingolimod (1 mg/kg/day) for 1 month, and the other half were left untreated. Decreased memory on the Morris water maze test was detected in GWI mice compared to control mice and was reversed by fingolimod treatment. Immunohistochemical analysis of brain sections with antibodies to Iba1 and GFAP revealed that GWI mice had increased microglia activation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, but no difference in reactive astrocytes was detected. The increased activation of microglia in GWI mice was decreased to the level in control mice by treatment with fingolimod. No effect of fingolimod treatment on gliosis in control mice was detected. To explore the signaling pathways by which decreased memory and increased neuroinflammation in GWI may be protected by fingolimod, we investigated the involvement of the inflammatory signaling pathways of protein kinase R (PKR) in the cerebral cortex of these mice. We found increased phosphorylation of PKR in the brain of GWI mice compared to controls, as well as increased phosphorylation of its most recognized downstream effectors: the α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α), IκB kinase (IKK), and the p65 subunit of nuclear factor-κB (NFκB-p65). Furthermore, we found that the increased phosphorylation level of these three proteins were suppressed in GWI mice treated with fingolimod. These results suggest that activation of PKR and NFκB signaling may be important for the regulation of cognition and neuroinflammation in the GWI condition and that fingolimod, a drug already approved for human use, may be a potential candidate for the treatment of GWI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Carreras
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Boston Healthcare System,150 S Huntington Av, Boston, MA 02130, USA; Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
| | - Younghun Jung
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Boston Healthcare System,150 S Huntington Av, Boston, MA 02130, USA; Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, USA; The Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 73 High St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jonathan Lopez-Benitez
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Boston Healthcare System,150 S Huntington Av, Boston, MA 02130, USA; Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Christina M Tognoni
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Boston Healthcare System,150 S Huntington Av, Boston, MA 02130, USA; Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Alpaslan Dedeoglu
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Boston Healthcare System,150 S Huntington Av, Boston, MA 02130, USA; Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 73 High St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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13
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Slevin E, Koyama S, Harrison K, Wan Y, Klaunig JE, Wu C, Shetty AK, Meng F. Dysbiosis in gastrointestinal pathophysiology: Role of the gut microbiome in Gulf War Illness. J Cell Mol Med 2023; 27:891-905. [PMID: 36716094 PMCID: PMC10064030 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17631] [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: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) has been reported in 25%-35% of veterans returned from the Gulf war. Symptoms of GWI are varied and include both neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms as well as chronic fatigue. Development of GWI has been associated with chemical exposure particularly with exposure to pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and permethrin. Recent studies have found that the pathology of GWI is connected to changes in the gut microbiota, that is the gut dysbiosis. In studies using animal models, the exposure to PB and permethrin resulted in similar changes in the gut microbiome as these found in GW veterans with GWI. Studies using animal models have also shown that phytochemicals like curcumin are beneficial in reducing the symptoms and that the extracellular vesicles (EV) released from gut bacteria and from the intestinal epithelium can both promote diseases and suppress diseases through the intercellular communication mechanisms. The intestinal epithelium cells produce EVs and these EVs of intestinal epithelium origin are found to suppress inflammatory bowel disease severity, suggesting the benefits of utilizing EV in treatments. On the contrary, EV from the plasma of septic mice enhanced the level of proinflammatory cytokines in vitro and neutrophils and macrophages in vivo, suggesting differences in the EV depending on the types of cells they were originated and/or influences of environmental changes. These studies suggest that targeting the EV that specifically have positive influences may become a new therapeutic strategy in the treatment of veterans with GWI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Slevin
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of MedicineIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical CenterIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Sachiko Koyama
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of MedicineIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical CenterIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Kelly Harrison
- Department of Transplant SurgeryBaylor Scott & White Memorial HospitalTempleTexasUSA
| | - Ying Wan
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical ScienceSouthwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - James E. Klaunig
- Laboratory of Investigative Toxicology and Pathology, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Indiana School of Public HealthIndiana UniversityBloomingtonIndianaUSA
| | - Chaodong Wu
- Department of NutritionTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Ashok K. Shetty
- Department of Molecular and Cellular MedicineInstitute for Regenerative Medicine, Texas A&M College of MedicineCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Fanyin Meng
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of MedicineIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical CenterIndianapolisIndianaUSA
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14
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Ferguson S, McCartan R, Browning M, Hahn-Townsend C, Gratkowski A, Morin A, Abdullah L, Ait-Ghezala G, Ojo J, Sullivan K, Mullan M, Crawford F, Mouzon B. Impact of gulf war toxic exposures after mild traumatic brain injury. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:147. [PMID: 36258255 PMCID: PMC9580120 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01449-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical and pharmaceutical exposures have been associated with the development of Gulf War Illness (GWI), but how these factors interact with the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains an area of study that has received little attention thus far. We studied the effects of pyridostigmine bromide (an anti-nerve agent) and permethrin (a pesticide) exposure in a mouse model of repetitive mild TBI (r-mTBI), with 5 impacts over a 9-day period, followed by Gulf War (GW) toxicant exposure for 10 days beginning 30 days after the last head injury. We then assessed the chronic behavioral and pathological sequelae 5 months after GW agent exposure. We observed that r-mTBI and GWI cumulatively affect the spatial memory of mice in the Barnes maze and result in a shift of search strategies employed by r-mTBI/GW exposed mice. GW exposure also produced anxiety-like behavior in sham animals, but r-mTBI produced disinhibition in both the vehicle and GW treated mice. Pathologically, GW exposure worsened r-mTBI dependent axonal degeneration and neuroinflammation, increased oligodendrocyte cell counts, and increased r-mTBI dependent phosphorylated tau, which was found to colocalize with oligodendrocytes in the corpus callosum. These results suggest that GW exposures may worsen TBI-related deficits. Veterans with a history of both GW chemical exposures as well as TBI may be at higher risk for worse symptoms and outcomes. Subsequent exposure to various toxic substances can influence the chronic nature of mTBI and should be considered as an etiological factor influencing mTBI recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Ferguson
- Roskamp Institute, 2040 Whitfield Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA
| | - Robyn McCartan
- Roskamp Institute, 2040 Whitfield Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA
| | | | | | | | - Alexander Morin
- Roskamp Institute, 2040 Whitfield Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA
| | - Laila Abdullah
- Roskamp Institute, 2040 Whitfield Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA.,James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
| | | | - Joseph Ojo
- Roskamp Institute, 2040 Whitfield Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA
| | - Kimberly Sullivan
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, 715 Albany St. T4W, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Michael Mullan
- Roskamp Institute, 2040 Whitfield Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA
| | - Fiona Crawford
- Roskamp Institute, 2040 Whitfield Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA.,James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Benoit Mouzon
- Roskamp Institute, 2040 Whitfield Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA. .,James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA.
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15
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Andrew A, Zhou J, Gui J, Harrison A, Shi X, Li M, Guetti B, Nathan R, Tischbein M, Pioro EP, Stommel E, Bradley W. Pesticides applied to crops and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis risk in the U.S. Neurotoxicology 2021; 87:128-135. [PMID: 34562505 PMCID: PMC10756230 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental exposures are implicated in the etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Application of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides with neurotoxic properties to crops is permitted in the U.S., however reporting of the quantities is government mandated. OBJECTIVE To identify pesticides that may be associated with ALS etiology for future study. METHODS We geospatially estimated exposure to crop-applied pesticides as risk factors for ALS in a large de-identified medical claims database, the SYMPHONY Integrated Dataverse®. We extracted residence at diagnosis of ∼26,000 nationally distributed ALS patients, and matched non-ALS controls. We mapped county-level U.S. Geological Survey data on applications of 423 pesticides to estimate local residential exposure. We randomly broke the SYMPHONY dataset into two groups to form independent discovery and validation cohorts, then confirmed top hits using residential history information from a study of NH, VT, and OH. RESULTS Pesticides with the largest positive statistically significant associations in both the discovery and the validation studies and evidence of neurotoxicity in the literature were the herbicides 2,4-D (OR 1.25 95 % CI 1.17-1.34) and glyphosate (OR 1.29 95 %CI 1.19-1.39), and the insecticides carbaryl (OR 1.32 95 %CI 1.23-1.42) and chlorpyrifos (OR 1.25 95 %CI 1.17-1.33). SIGNIFICANCE Our geospatial analysis results support potential neurotoxic pesticide exposures as risk factors for sporadic ALS. Focused studies to assess these identified potential relationships are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeline Andrew
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, United States.
| | - Jie Zhou
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Jiang Gui
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | | | - Xun Shi
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Meifang Li
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Bart Guetti
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | | | - Maeve Tischbein
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Erik P Pioro
- Center for ALS and Related Disorders, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Elijah Stommel
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Walter Bradley
- Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
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16
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Vahey J, Gifford EJ, Sims KJ, Chesnut B, Boyle SH, Stafford C, Upchurch J, Stone A, Pyarajan S, Efird JT, Williams CD, Hauser ER. Gene-Toxicant Interactions in Gulf War Illness: Differential Effects of the PON1 Genotype. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1558. [PMID: 34942860 PMCID: PMC8699623 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11121558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
About 25-35% of United States veterans who fought in the 1990-1991 Gulf War report several moderate or severe chronic systemic symptoms, defined as Gulf War illness (GWI). Thirty years later, there is little consensus on the causes or biological underpinnings of GWI. The Gulf War Era Cohort and Biorepository (GWECB) was designed to investigate genetic and environmental associations with GWI and consists of 1343 veterans. We investigate candidate gene-toxicant interactions that may be associated with GWI based on prior associations found in human and animal model studies, focusing on SNPs in or near ACHE, BCHE, and PON1 genes to replicate results from prior studies. SOD1 was also considered as a candidate gene. CDC Severe GWI, the primary outcome, was observed in 26% of the 810 deployed veterans included in this study. The interaction between the candidate SNP rs662 and pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills was found to be associated with CDC Severe GWI. Interactions between PB pill exposure and rs3917545, rs3917550, and rs2299255, all in high linkage disequilibrium in PON1, were also associated with respiratory symptoms. These SNPs could point toward biological pathways through which GWI may develop, which could lead to biomarkers to detect GWI or to better treatment options for veterans with GWI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Vahey
- Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center-Durham, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC 27705, USA; (J.V.); (E.J.G.); (K.J.S.); (B.C.); (S.H.B.); (C.S.); (J.U.); (J.T.E.); (C.D.W.)
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Program, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27705, USA
| | - Elizabeth J. Gifford
- Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center-Durham, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC 27705, USA; (J.V.); (E.J.G.); (K.J.S.); (B.C.); (S.H.B.); (C.S.); (J.U.); (J.T.E.); (C.D.W.)
- Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy, Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Kellie J. Sims
- Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center-Durham, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC 27705, USA; (J.V.); (E.J.G.); (K.J.S.); (B.C.); (S.H.B.); (C.S.); (J.U.); (J.T.E.); (C.D.W.)
| | - Blair Chesnut
- Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center-Durham, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC 27705, USA; (J.V.); (E.J.G.); (K.J.S.); (B.C.); (S.H.B.); (C.S.); (J.U.); (J.T.E.); (C.D.W.)
| | - Stephen H. Boyle
- Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center-Durham, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC 27705, USA; (J.V.); (E.J.G.); (K.J.S.); (B.C.); (S.H.B.); (C.S.); (J.U.); (J.T.E.); (C.D.W.)
| | - Crystal Stafford
- Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center-Durham, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC 27705, USA; (J.V.); (E.J.G.); (K.J.S.); (B.C.); (S.H.B.); (C.S.); (J.U.); (J.T.E.); (C.D.W.)
| | - Julie Upchurch
- Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center-Durham, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC 27705, USA; (J.V.); (E.J.G.); (K.J.S.); (B.C.); (S.H.B.); (C.S.); (J.U.); (J.T.E.); (C.D.W.)
| | - Annjanette Stone
- Pharmacogenomics Analysis Laboratory, Research Service, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA;
| | - Saiju Pyarajan
- Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center (MAVERIC), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA;
| | - Jimmy T. Efird
- Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center-Durham, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC 27705, USA; (J.V.); (E.J.G.); (K.J.S.); (B.C.); (S.H.B.); (C.S.); (J.U.); (J.T.E.); (C.D.W.)
| | - Christina D. Williams
- Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center-Durham, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC 27705, USA; (J.V.); (E.J.G.); (K.J.S.); (B.C.); (S.H.B.); (C.S.); (J.U.); (J.T.E.); (C.D.W.)
| | - Elizabeth R. Hauser
- Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center-Durham, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, NC 27705, USA; (J.V.); (E.J.G.); (K.J.S.); (B.C.); (S.H.B.); (C.S.); (J.U.); (J.T.E.); (C.D.W.)
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC 27701, USA
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17
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Murray KE, Delic V, Ratliff WA, Beck KD, Citron BA. Acute gene expression changes in the mouse hippocampus following a combined Gulf War toxicant exposure. Life Sci 2021; 284:119845. [PMID: 34293396 PMCID: PMC8994630 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Approximately 30% of the nearly 700,000 Veterans who were deployed to the Gulf War from 1990 to 1991 have reported experiencing a variety of symptoms including difficulties with learning and memory, depression and anxiety, and increased incidence of neurodegenerative diseases. Combined toxicant exposure to acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors has been studied extensively as a likely risk factor. In this study, we modeled Gulf War exposure in male C57Bl/6J mice with simultaneous administration of three chemicals implicated as exposure hazards for Gulf War Veterans: pyridostigmine bromide, the anti-sarin prophylactic; chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide; and the repellant N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). MAIN METHODS Following two weeks of daily exposure, we examined changes in gene expression by whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) with hippocampal isolates. Hippocampal-associated spatial memory was assessed with a Y-maze task. We hypothesized that genes important for neuronal health become dysregulated by toxicant-induced damage and that these detrimental inflammatory gene expression profiles could lead to chronic neurodegeneration. KEY FINDINGS We found dysregulation of genes indicating a pro-inflammatory response and downregulation of genes associated with neuronal health and several important immediate early genes (IEGs), including Arc and Egr1, which were both reduced approximately 1.5-fold. Mice exposed to PB + CPF + DEET displayed a 1.6-fold reduction in preference for the novel arm, indicating impaired spatial memory. SIGNIFICANCE Differentially expressed genes observed at an acute timepoint may provide insight into the pathophysiology of Gulf War Illness and further explanations for chronic neurodegeneration after toxicant exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Murray
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Research & Development (Mailstop 15), Bldg. 16, Rm. 16-176, 385 Tremont Ave, East Orange, NJ 07018, United States of America; Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America.
| | - Vedad Delic
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Research & Development (Mailstop 15), Bldg. 16, Rm. 16-176, 385 Tremont Ave, East Orange, NJ 07018, United States of America; Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America; Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America.
| | - Whitney A Ratliff
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Research and Development, 151, Bldg. 22, Rm. 123, 10000 Bay Pines Blvd, Bay Pines, FL 33744, United States of America.
| | - Kevin D Beck
- Neurobehavior Research Laboratory, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Research & Development (Mailstop 15), Bldg. 16, Rm. 16-176, 385 Tremont Ave, East Orange, NJ 07018, United States of America; Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America; Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America.
| | - Bruce A Citron
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Research & Development (Mailstop 15), Bldg. 16, Rm. 16-176, 385 Tremont Ave, East Orange, NJ 07018, United States of America; Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America; Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Research and Development, 151, Bldg. 22, Rm. 123, 10000 Bay Pines Blvd, Bay Pines, FL 33744, United States of America; Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America.
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18
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Bryant JD, Kodali M, Shuai B, Menissy SS, Graves PJ, Phan TT, Dantzer R, Shetty AK, Ciaccia West L, West AP. Neuroimmune mechanisms of cognitive impairment in a mouse model of Gulf War illness. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 97:204-218. [PMID: 34333111 PMCID: PMC8453129 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic, multi-symptom disorder affecting approximately 30 percent of the nearly 700,000 Veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War. GWI-related chemical (GWIC) exposure promotes immune activation that correlates with cognitive impairment and other symptoms of GWI. However, the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways linking GWIC to inflammation and neurological symptoms remain unclear. Here we show that acute exposure of murine macrophages to GWIC potentiates innate immune signaling and inflammatory cytokine production. Using an established mouse model of GWI, we report that neurobehavioral changes and neuroinflammation are attenuated in mice lacking the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) and NOD-, LRR- or pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) innate immune pathways. In addition, we report sex differences in response to GWIC, with female mice showing more pronounced cognitive impairment and hippocampal astrocyte hypertrophy. In contrast, male mice display a GWIC-dependent upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines in the plasma that is not present in female mice. Our results indicate that STING and NLRP3 are key mediators of the cognitive impairment and inflammation observed in GWI and provide important new information on sex differences in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D. Bryant
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Maheedhar Kodali
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Bing Shuai
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Saeed S. Menissy
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Paige J. Graves
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Thien Trong Phan
- Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Robert Dantzer
- Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ashok K. Shetty
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Laura Ciaccia West
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA.
| | - A. Phillip West
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA,Corresponding authors. (L. Ciaccia West), (A.P. West)
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19
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Dursa EK, Cao G, Porter B, Culpepper WJ, Schneiderman AI. The Health of Gulf War and Gulf Era Veterans Over Time: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Gulf War Longitudinal Study. J Occup Environ Med 2021; 63:889-894. [PMID: 34483304 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to describe the self-reported physical and mental health over the course over 19 years of follow up of a population-based cohort of Gulf War and Gulf Era veterans. METHODS A multi-modal health survey of 6338 Gulf War and Gulf Era veterans who participated in all three waves of the longitudinal study. RESULTS Gulf War and Gulf War Era veterans experienced an increase in prevalence of chronic disease over time. The adjusted odds ratios suggest that Gulf War veterans not only had significantly higher odds of reporting medical conditions, but also began to report them earlier. CONCLUSIONS The findings from this analysis suggest that Gulf War veterans are not only more likely than their non-deployed counterparts to report chronic disease, they were more likely to report it earlier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K Dursa
- Post Deployment Health Services, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC (Dr Dursa, Dr Culpepper, and Dr Schneiderman); Hines VA Cooperative Studies Program Coordinating Center, Hines, Illinois (Dr Dursa and Ms Cao); Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi (Dr Porter)
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20
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Carpenter JM, Brown KA, Diaz AN, Dockman RL, Benbow RA, Harn DA, Norberg T, Wagner JJ, Filipov NM. Delayed treatment with the immunotherapeutic LNFPIII ameliorates multiple neurological deficits in a pesticide-nerve agent prophylactic mouse model of Gulf War Illness. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2021; 87:107012. [PMID: 34256162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Residual effects of the 1990-1991 Gulf War (GW) still plague veterans 30 years later as Gulf War Illness (GWI). Thought to stem mostly from deployment-related chemical overexposures, GWI is a disease with multiple neurological symptoms with likely immunological underpinnings. Currently, GWI remains untreatable, and the long-term neurological disease manifestation is not characterized fully. The present study sought to expand and evaluate the long-term implications of prior GW chemicals exposure on neurological function 6-8 months post GWI-like symptomatology induction. Additionally, the beneficial effects of delayed treatment with the glycan immunotherapeutic lacto-N-fucopentaose III (LNFPIII) were evaluated. Male C57BL/6J mice underwent a 10-day combinational exposure (i.p.) to GW chemicals, the nerve agent prophylactic pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and the insecticide permethrin (PM; 0.7 and 200 mg/kg, respectively). Beginning 4 months after PB/PM exposure, a subset of the mice were treated twice a week until study completion with LNFPIII. Evaluation of cognition/memory, motor function, and mood was performed beginning 1 month after LNFPIII treatment initiation. Prior exposure to PB/PM produced multiple locomotor, neuromuscular, and sensorimotor deficits across several motor tests. Subtle anxiety-like behavior was also present in PB/PM mice in mood tests. Further, PB/PM-exposed mice learned at a slower rate, mostly during early phases of the learning and memory tests employed. LNFPIII treatment restored or improved many of these behaviors, particularly in motor and cognition/memory domains. Electrophysiology data collected from hippocampal slices 8 months post PB/PM exposure revealed modest aberrations in basal synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation in the dorsal or ventral hippocampus that were improved by LNFPIII treatment. Immunohistochemical analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a dopaminergic marker, did not detect major PB/PM effects along the nigrostriatal pathway, but LNFPIII increased striatal TH. Additionally, neuroinflammatory cells were increased in PB/PM mice, an effect reduced by LNFPIII. Collectively, long-term neurobehavioral and neurobiological dysfunction associated with prior PB/PM exposure was characterized; delayed LNFPIII treatment provided multiple behavioral and biological beneficial effects in the context of GWI, highlighting its potential as a GWI therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Carpenter
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Kyle A Brown
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Alexa N Diaz
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Rachel L Dockman
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Robert A Benbow
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Donald A Harn
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Center for Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Thomas Norberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - John J Wagner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
| | - Nikolay M Filipov
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
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21
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Pistollato F, Carpi D, Mendoza-de Gyves E, Paini A, Bopp SK, Worth A, Bal-Price A. Combining in vitro assays and mathematical modelling to study developmental neurotoxicity induced by chemical mixtures. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 105:101-119. [PMID: 34455033 PMCID: PMC8522961 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal and postnatal co-exposure to multiple chemicals at the same time may have deleterious effects on the developing nervous system. We previously showed that chemicals acting through similar mode of action (MoA) and grouped based on perturbation of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), induced greater neurotoxic effects on human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neurons and astrocytes compared to chemicals with dissimilar MoA. Here we assessed the effects of repeated dose (14 days) treatments with mixtures containing the six chemicals tested in our previous study (Bisphenol A, Chlorpyrifos, Lead(II) chloride, Methylmercury chloride, PCB138 and Valproic acid) along with 2,2'4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE47), Ethanol, Vinclozolin and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)), on hiPSC-derived neural stem cells undergoing differentiation toward mixed neurons/astrocytes up to 21 days. Similar MoA chemicals in mixtures caused an increase of BDNF levels and neurite outgrowth, and a decrease of synapse formation, which led to inhibition of electrical activity. Perturbations of these endpoints are described as common key events in adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) specific for DNT. When compared with mixtures tested in our previous study, adding similarly acting chemicals (BDE47 and EtOH) to the mixture resulted in a stronger downregulation of synapses. A synergistic effect on some synaptogenesis-related features (PSD95 in particular) was hypothesized upon treatment with tested mixtures, as indicated by mathematical modelling. Our findings confirm that the use of human iPSC-derived mixed neuronal/glial models applied to a battery of in vitro assays anchored to key events in DNT AOP networks, combined with mathematical modelling, is a suitable testing strategy to assess in vitro DNT induced by chemical mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Donatella Carpi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | | | - Alicia Paini
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | | | - Andrew Worth
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Anna Bal-Price
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy.
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22
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Penatzer JA, Miller JV, Prince N, Shaw M, Lynch C, Newman M, Hobbs GR, Boyd JW. Differential phosphoprotein signaling in the cortex in mouse models of Gulf War Illness using corticosterone and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07552. [PMID: 34307952 PMCID: PMC8287240 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims Veterans from the 1990–91 Gulf War were exposed to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs), and, following service, an estimated one-third began suffering from a medically unexplained, multi-symptom illness termed Gulf War Illness (GWI). Previous research has developed validated rodent models that include exposure to exogenous corticosterone (CORT) and AChEIs to simulate high stress and chemical exposures encountered in theater. This combination of exposures in mice resulted in a marked increase in neuroinflammation, which is a common symptom of veterans suffering from GWI. To further elucidate the mechanisms associated with these mouse models of GWI, an investigation into intracellular responses in the cortex were performed to characterize the early cellular signaling changes associated with this exposure-initiated neuroinflammation. Main methods Adult male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to CORT in the drinking water (200 μg/mL) for 7 days followed by a single intraperitoneal injection of diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP; 4.0 mg/kg) or chlorpyrifos oxon (CPO; 8.0 mg/kg), on day 8 and euthanized 0.5, 2, and 24 h post-injection. Eleven post-translationally modified protein targets were measured using a multiplexed ELISA. Key findings Phosphoprotein responses were found to be exposure specific following AChEI insult, with and without CORT. Specifically, CORT + CPO exposure was found to sequentially activate several phosphoproteins involved in mitogen activated protein kinase signaling (p-MEK1/2, p-ERK1/2, and p-JNK). DFP alone similarly increased proteins in this pathway (p-RPS6, and p-JNK), but the addition of CORT ameliorated these affects. Significance The results of this study provide insight into differentially activated pathways depending on AChEI in these GWI models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia A Penatzer
- C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morvantown, WV, USA
| | | | - Nicole Prince
- C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morvantown, WV, USA
| | - Misa Shaw
- Department of Orthopaedics, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA.,Clinical and Translational Science Institute, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Cayla Lynch
- Department of Orthopaedics, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Mackenzie Newman
- Department of Orthopaedics, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Gerald R Hobbs
- Department of Statistics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Jonathan W Boyd
- Department of Orthopaedics, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
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23
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Circulating HMGB1 is elevated in veterans with Gulf War Illness and triggers the persistent pro-inflammatory microglia phenotype in male C57Bl/6J mice. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:390. [PMID: 34253711 PMCID: PMC8275600 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01517-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic, multi-symptom peripheral and CNS condition with persistent microglial dysregulation, but the mechanisms driving the continuous neuroimmune pathology are poorly understood. The alarmin HMGB1 is an autocrine and paracrine pro-inflammatory signal, but the role of circulating HMGB1 in persistent neuroinflammation and GWI remains largely unknown. Using the LPS model of the persistent microglial pro-inflammatory response, male C57Bl/6J mice injected with LPS (5 mg/kg IP) exhibited persistent changes in microglia morphology and elevated pro-inflammatory markers in the hippocampus, cortex, and midbrain 7 days after LPS injection, while the peripheral immune response had resolved. Ex vivo serum analysis revealed an augmented pro-inflammatory response to LPS when microglia cells were cultured with the 7-day LPS serum, indicating the presence of bioactive circulating factors that prime the microglial pro-inflammatory response. Elevated circulating HMGB1 levels were identified in the mouse serum 7 days after LPS administration and in the serum of veterans with GWI. Tail vein injection of rHMGB1 in male C57Bl/6 J mice elevated TNFα mRNA levels in the liver, hippocampus, and cortex, demonstrating HMGB1-induced peripheral and CNS effects. Microglia isolated at 7 days after LPS injection revealed a unique transcriptional profile of 17 genes when compared to the acute 3 H LPS response, 6 of which were also upregulated in the midbrain by rHMGB1, highlighting a distinct signature of the persistent pro-inflammatory microglia phenotype. These findings indicate that circulating HMGB1 is elevated in GWI, regulates the microglial neuroimmune response, and drives chronic neuroinflammation that persists long after the initial instigating peripheral stimulus.
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24
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Ribeiro ACR, Jahr FM, Hawkins E, Kronfol MM, Younis RM, McClay JL, Deshpande LS. Epigenetic histone acetylation and Bdnf dysregulation in the hippocampus of rats exposed to repeated, low-dose diisopropylfluorophosphate. Life Sci 2021; 281:119765. [PMID: 34186043 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Deployment-related exposures to organophosphate (OP) compounds are implicated for Gulf War Illness (GWI) development in First GW veterans. However, reasons for the persistence of GWI are not fully understood. Epigenetic modifications to chromatin are regulatory mechanisms that can adaptively or maladaptively respond to external stimuli. These include DNA methylation and histone acetylation. DNA methylation changes have been reported in GWI but the role of histone acetylation in GWI has been less explored, despite its importance as an epigenetic mechanism for neurological disorders. MAIN METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to OP diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP, 0.5 mg/kg s.c., 5-d) and 6-m later brains were dissected for hippocampus. Western blotting, activity assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) were utilized for epigenetic analyses. Behavior was assessed using the Forced Swim Test (FST) and the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM). KEY FINDINGS We observed a significant upregulation in HDAC1 protein along with a significant increase in HDAC enzyme activity in the hippocampus of DFP rats. A locus-specific ChIP study revealed decreases in H3K9ac at the brain derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) promoter IV coupled with a significant decrease in BDNF protein in DFP rat hippocampus. Treatment with HDAC inhibitor valproic acid reduced HDAC activity and decreased the FST immobility time in DFP rats. SIGNIFICANCE Our research suggests that epigenetic alterations to histone acetylation pathways and decreased BDNF expression could represent novel mechanisms for GWI symptomatology and may provide new targets for developing effective drugs for GWI treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C R Ribeiro
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Fay M Jahr
- Department of Pharmacotherapy & Outcome Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Elisa Hawkins
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Mohamad M Kronfol
- Department of Pharmacotherapy & Outcome Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Rabha M Younis
- Department of Pharmacotherapy & Outcome Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Joseph L McClay
- Department of Pharmacotherapy & Outcome Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Laxmikant S Deshpande
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
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25
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Ribeiro ACR, Deshpande LS. A review of pre-clinical models for Gulf War Illness. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 228:107936. [PMID: 34171340 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multisymptomatic disorder that afflicts over 1/3rd of the 1991 GW veterans. It spans multiple bodily systems and presents itself as a syndrome exhibiting diverse symptoms including fatigue, depression, mood, and memory and concentration deficits, musculoskeletal pain and gastrointestinal distress in GW veterans. The etiology of GWI is complex and many factors, including chemical, physiological, and environmental stressors present in the GW arena, have been implicated for its development. It has been over 30 years since the end of the GW but, GWI has been persistent in suffering veterans who are also dealing with paucity of effective treatments. The multifactorial aspect of GWI along with genetic heterogeneity and lack of available data surrounding war-time exposures have proved to be challenging in developing pre-clinical models of GWI. Despite this, over a dozen GWI animal models exist in the literature. In this article, following a brief discussion of GW history, GWI definitions, and probable causes for its pathogenesis, we will expand upon various experimental models used in GWI laboratory research. These animal models will be discussed in the context of their attempts at mimicking GW-related exposures with regards to the variations in chemical combinations, doses, and frequency of exposures. We will discuss their advantages and limitations in modeling GWI followed by a discussion of behavioral and molecular findings in these models. The mechanistic data obtained from these preclinical studies have offered multiple molecular pathways including chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, lipid disturbances, calcium homeostatic alterations, changes in gut microbiota, and epigenetic modifications, amongst others for explaining GWI development and its persistence. Finally, these findings have also informed us on novel druggable targets in GWI. While, it has been difficult to conceive a single pre-clinical model that could express all the GWI signs and exhibit biological complexity reflective of the clinical presentation in GWI, animal models have been critical for identifying molecular underpinnings of GWI and evaluating treatment strategies for GWI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C R Ribeiro
- Departments of Neurology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Laxmikant S Deshpande
- Departments of Neurology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
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26
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Brown KA, Carpenter JM, Preston CJ, Ludwig HD, Clay KB, Harn DA, Norberg T, Wagner JJ, Filipov NM. Lacto-N-fucopentaose-III ameliorates acute and persisting hippocampal synaptic plasticity and transmission deficits in a Gulf War Illness mouse model. Life Sci 2021; 279:119707. [PMID: 34102195 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The present study investigated if treatment with the immunotherapeutic, lacto-N-fucopentaose-III (LNFPIII), resulted in amelioration of acute and persisting deficits in synaptic plasticity and transmission as well as trophic factor expression along the hippocampal dorsoventral axis in a mouse model of Gulf War Illness (GWI). MAIN METHODS Mice received either coadministered or delayed LNFPIII treatment throughout or following, respectively, exposure to a 15-day GWI induction paradigm. Subsets of animals were subsequently sacrificed 48 h, seven months, or 11 months post GWI-related (GWIR) exposure for hippocampal qPCR or in vitro electrophysiology experiments. KEY FINDINGS Progressively worsened impairments in hippocampal synaptic plasticity, as well as a biphasic effect on hippocampal synaptic transmission, were detected in GWIR-exposed animals. Dorsoventral-specific impairments in hippocampal synaptic responses became more pronounced over time, particularly in the dorsal hippocampus. Notably, delayed LNFPIII treatment ameliorated GWI-related aberrations in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and transmission seven and 11 months post-exposure, an effect that was consistent with enhanced hippocampal trophic factor expression and absence of increased interleukin 6 (IL-6) in animals treated with LNFPIII. SIGNIFICANCE Approximately a third of Gulf War Veterans have GWI; however, GWI therapeutics are presently limited to targeted and symptomatic treatments. As increasing evidence underscores the substantial role of persisting neuroimmune dysfunction in GWI, efficacious neuroactive immunotherapeutics hold substantial promise in yielding GWI remission. The findings in the present report indicate that LNFPIII may be an efficacious candidate for ameliorating persisting neurological abnormalities presented in GWI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A Brown
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Jessica M Carpenter
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Collin J Preston
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Helaina D Ludwig
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Kendall B Clay
- Neuroscience Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Donald A Harn
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Center for Tropical and Emerging Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Thomas Norberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - John J Wagner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
| | - Nikolay M Filipov
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
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27
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Venkatasamy L, Nizamutdinov D, Jenkins J, Shapiro LA. Vagus Nerve Stimulation Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment and Increased Hippocampal Astrocytes in a Mouse Model of Gulf War Illness. Neurosci Insights 2021; 16:26331055211018456. [PMID: 34104886 PMCID: PMC8165814 DOI: 10.1177/26331055211018456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Gulf war illness (GWI), is a chronic multi-symptom illness that has impacted approximately one-third of the veterans who served in the 1990 to 1991 Gulf War. GWI symptoms include cognitive impairments (eg, memory and concentration problems), headaches, migraines, fatigue, gastrointestinal and respiratory issues, as well as emotional deficits. The exposure to neurological chemicals such as the anti-nerve gas drug, pyridostigmine bromide (PB), and the insecticide permethrin (PER), may contribute to the etiologically related factors of GWI. Various studies utilizing mouse models of GWI have reported the interplay of these chemical agents in increasing neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction. Astrocytes are involved in the secretion of neuroinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in pathological conditions and have been implicated in GWI symptomology. We hypothesized that exposure to PB and PER causes lasting changes to hippocampal astrocytes, concurrent with chronic cognitive deficits that can be reversed by cervical vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). GWI was induced in CD1 mice by injecting the mixture of PER (200 mg/kg) and PB (2 mg/kg), i.p. for 10 consecutive days. VNS stimulators were implanted at 33 weeks after GWI induction. The results show age-related cognitive alterations at approximately 9 months after exposure to PB and PER. The results also showed an increased number of GFAP-labeled astrocytes in the hippocampus and dentate gyrus that was ameliorated by VNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lavanya Venkatasamy
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Damir Nizamutdinov
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Jaclyn Jenkins
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Lee A Shapiro
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, USA
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28
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Wang X, Ali N, Lin CLG. Emerging role of glutamate in the pathophysiology and therapeutics of Gulf War illness. Life Sci 2021; 280:119609. [PMID: 33991547 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Gulf War illness (GWI) is a chronic and multi-symptomatic disorder affecting veterans who served in the Gulf War. The commonly reported symptoms in GWI veterans include mood problems, cognitive impairment, muscle and joint pain, migraine/headache, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal complaints, skin rashes, and respiratory problems. Neuroimaging studies have revealed significant brain structure alterations in GWI veterans, including subcortical atrophy, decreased volume of the hippocampus, reduced total grey and white matter, and increased brain white matter axial diffusivity. These brain changes may contribute to or increase the severities of the GWI-related symptoms. Epidemiological studies have revealed that neurotoxic exposures and stress may be significant contributors to the development of GWI. However, the mechanism underlying how the exposure and stress could contribute to the multi-symptomatic disorder of GWI remains unclear. We and others have demonstrated that rodent models exposed to GW-related agents and stress exhibited higher extracellular glutamate levels, as well as impaired structure and function of glutamatergic synapses. Restoration of the glutamatergic synapses ameliorated the GWI-related pathological and behavioral deficits. Moreover, recent studies showed that a low-glutamate diet reduced multiple symptoms in GWI veterans, suggesting an important role of the glutamatergic system in GWI. Currently, growing evidence has indicated that abnormal glutamate neurotransmission may contribute to the GWI symptoms. This review summarizes the potential roles of glutamate dyshomeostasis and dysfunction of the glutamatergic system in linking the initial cause to the multi-symptomatic outcomes in GWI and suggests the glutamatergic system as a therapeutic target for GWI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqin Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Noor Ali
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Chien-Liang Glenn Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonist, rosiglitazone, ameliorates neurofunctional and neuroinflammatory abnormalities in a rat model of Gulf War Illness. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242427. [PMID: 33186383 PMCID: PMC7665704 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gulf War (GW) Illness (GWI) is a debilitating condition with a complex constellation of immune, endocrine and neurological symptoms, including cognitive impairment, anxiety and depression. We studied a novel model of GWI based on 3 known common GW exposures (GWE): (i) intranasal lipopolysaccharide, to which personnel were exposed during desert sand storms; (ii) pyridostigmine bromide, used as prophylaxis against chemical warfare; and (iii) chronic unpredictable stress, an inescapable element of war. We used this model to evaluate prophylactic treatment with the PPARγ agonist, rosiglitazone (ROSI). Methods Rats were subjected to the three GWE for 33 days. In series 1 and 2, male and female GWE-rats were compared to naïve rats. In series 3, male rats with GWE were randomly assigned to prophylactic treatment with ROSI (GWE-ROSI) or vehicle. After the 33-day exposures, three neurofunctional domains were evaluated: cognition (novel object recognition), anxiety-like behaviors (elevated plus maze, open field) and depression-like behaviors (coat state, sucrose preference, splash test, tail suspension and forced swim). Brains were analyzed for astrocytic and microglial activation and neuroinflammation (GFAP, Iba1, tumor necrosis factor and translocator protein). Neurofunctional data from rats with similar exposures were pooled into 3 groups: naïve, GWE and GWE-ROSI. Results Compared to naïve rats, GWE-rats showed significant abnormalities in the three neurofunctional domains, along with significant neuroinflammation in amygdala and hippocampus. There were no differences between males and females with GWE. GWE-ROSI rats showed significant attenuation of neuroinflammation and of some of the neurofunctional abnormalities. Conclusion This novel GWI model recapitulates critical neurofunctional abnormalities reported by Veterans with GWI. Concurrent prophylactic treatment with ROSI was beneficial in this model.
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Thorson JLM, Beck D, Ben Maamar M, Nilsson EE, Skinner MK. Epigenome-wide association study for pesticide (Permethrin and DEET) induced DNA methylation epimutation biomarkers for specific transgenerational disease. Environ Health 2020; 19:109. [PMID: 33148267 PMCID: PMC7643320 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-020-00666-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Permethrin and N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) are the pesticides and insect repellent most commonly used by humans. These pesticides have been shown to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of disease in rats. The current study was designed as an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) to identify potential sperm DNA methylation epimutation biomarkers for specific transgenerational disease. METHODS Outbred Sprague Dawley gestating female rats (F0) were transiently exposed during fetal gonadal sex determination to the pesticide combination including Permethrin and DEET. The F3 generation great-grand offspring within the pesticide lineage were aged to 1 year. The transgenerational adult male rat sperm were collected from individuals with single and multiple diseases and compared to non-diseased animals to identify differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) as biomarkers for specific transgenerational disease. RESULTS The exposure of gestating female rats to a permethrin and DEET pesticide combination promoted transgenerational testis disease, prostate disease, kidney disease, and the presence of multiple disease in the subsequent F3 generation great-grand offspring. The disease DMRs were found to be disease specific with negligible overlap between different diseases. The genomic features of CpG density, DMR length, and chromosomal locations of the disease specific DMRs were investigated. Interestingly, the majority of the disease specific sperm DMR associated genes have been previously found to be linked to relevant disease specific genes. CONCLUSIONS Observations demonstrate the EWAS approach identified disease specific biomarkers that can be potentially used to assess transgenerational disease susceptibility and facilitate the clinical management of environmentally induced pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L M Thorson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Daniel Beck
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Millissia Ben Maamar
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Eric E Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA.
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Dursa EK, Tadesse BE, Carter CE, Culpepper WJ, Schneiderman AI, Rumm PD. Respiratory illness among Gulf War and Gulf War era veterans who use the Department of Veterans Affairs for healthcare. Am J Ind Med 2020; 63:980-987. [PMID: 32851693 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.23172] [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: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf War were exposed to a variety of toxic substances during their service that included several airborne hazards, but only a few small studies have assessed respiratory outcomes in Gulf War veterans. This paper presents population prevalence estimates and prevalence ratios of respiratory disease among Gulf War and Gulf War Era veterans who use VA healthcare. METHODS A total of 360,909 Gulf War deployed veterans and 323,638 Gulf War Era non-deployed veterans were included in the analysis. Ten-year period prevalence rates (PRs) for fifteen respiratory diseases were calculated for Gulf War and Gulf War Era veterans and period prevalence ratios comparing Gulf War veterans to Gulf War Era veterans were calculated. RESULTS The five respiratory conditions with the highest prevalence per 100,000 veterans across both Gulf War deployed and Gulf War Era non-deployed veterans (respectively) were: allergic rhinitis (8,400 and 8,041), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (4,763 and 4,795), asthma (4,685 and 4,477), chronic airway obstruction (3,983 and 4,059), and chronic sinusitis (2,863 and 2,672). The adjusted PRs showed a small, but significantly increased, elevation in Gulf War-deployed compared to Gulf War Era non-deployed veterans for chronic bronchitis (PR 1.19; 95% CI 1.10, 1.28), emphysema (PR 1.11; 95% CI 1.01, 1.21), chronic airway obstruction (PR 1.09; 95% CI 1.07, 1.12), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PR 1.09; 1.07, 1.11). DISCUSSION Gulf War veterans should continue to be monitored in the future to better evaluate the potential long-term consequences on respiratory health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K. Dursa
- Post‐Deployment Health Services Department of Veterans Affairs Washington District of Columbia
| | | | | | - William J. Culpepper
- Post‐Deployment Health Services Department of Veterans Affairs Washington District of Columbia
| | - Aaron I. Schneiderman
- Post‐Deployment Health Services Department of Veterans Affairs Washington District of Columbia
| | - Peter D. Rumm
- Post‐Deployment Health Services Department of Veterans Affairs Washington District of Columbia
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Wang X, Xu Z, Zhao F, Lin KJ, Foster JB, Xiao T, Kung N, Askwith CC, Bruno JP, Valentini V, Hodgetts KJ, Lin CLG. Restoring tripartite glutamatergic synapses: A potential therapy for mood and cognitive deficits in Gulf War illness. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100240. [PMID: 33344696 PMCID: PMC7739039 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Gulf War illness is associated with a combination of exposure to war-related chemical agents and traumatic stress. Currently, there are no effective treatments, and the pathophysiology remains elusive. Neurological problems are among the most commonly reported symptoms. In this study, we investigated the glutamatergic system in the hippocampi of mice exposed to war-related chemical agents and stress. Mice developed Gulf War illness-like symptoms, including mood deficits, cognitive impairments, and fatigue. They exhibited the following pathological changes in hippocampi: elevated extracellular glutamate levels, impaired glutamatergic synapses, astrocyte atrophy, loss of interneurons, and decreased neurogenesis. LDN/OSU-215111 is a small-molecule that can strengthen the structure and function of both the astrocytic processes and the glutamatergic synapses that together form the tripartite synapses. We found that LDN/OSU-215111 effectively prevented the development of mood and cognitive deficits in mice when treatment was implemented immediately following the exposure. Moreover, when symptoms were already present, LDN/OSU-215111 still significantly ameliorated these deficits; impressively, benefits were sustained one month after treatment cessation, indicating disease modification. LDN/OSU-215111 effectively normalized hippocampal pathological changes. Overall, this study provides strong evidence that restoration of tripartite glutamatergic synapses by LDN/OSU-215111 is a potential therapy for Gulf War illness.
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Key Words
- BBB, Blood brain barrier
- CA, Cornu ammonis
- DCX, Doublecortin
- DEET, N, N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide
- DG, Dentate gyrus
- EAAT2, Excitatory amino acid transporter 2
- GABA, γ-aminobutyric acid
- GFAP, glial fibrillary acidic protein
- GWI, gulf war illness
- Gulf war illness
- LTP, Long term potentiation
- Mood deficits and cognitive impairments
- PB, Pyridostigmine bromide
- PSD95, Postsynaptic density protein 95
- PV, Parvalbumin
- TBS, Theta burst stimulation
- Therapy
- Traumatic stress
- Tripartite glutamatergic synapses
- fEPSP, field excitatory postsynaptic potentials
- sEPSC/mEPSC, Spontaneous/miniature excitatory postsynaptic current
- sIPSC/mIPSC, Spontaneous/miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current
- vGAT, Vesicular inhibitory amino acid transporter
- vGLUT1, Vesicular glutamate transporter 1
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqin Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Zan Xu
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Fangli Zhao
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Kuanhung J. Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Joshua B. Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Tianqi Xiao
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Nydia Kung
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Candice C. Askwith
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - John P. Bruno
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Valentina Valentini
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Kevin J. Hodgetts
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Chien-liang Glenn Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Dickey B, Madhu LN, Shetty AK. Gulf War Illness: Mechanisms Underlying Brain Dysfunction and Promising Therapeutic Strategies. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 220:107716. [PMID: 33164782 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI), a chronic multisymptom health problem, afflicts ~30% of veterans served in the first GW. Impaired brain function is among the most significant symptoms of GWI, which is typified by persistent cognitive and mood impairments, concentration problems, headaches, chronic fatigue, and musculoskeletal pain. This review aims to discuss findings from animal prototypes and veterans with GWI on mechanisms underlying its pathophysiology and emerging therapeutic strategies for alleviating brain dysfunction in GWI. Animal model studies have linked brain impairments to incessantly elevated oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, inhibitory interneuron loss, altered lipid metabolism and peroxisomes, mitochondrial dysfunction, modified expression of genes relevant to cognitive function, and waned hippocampal neurogenesis. Furthermore, the involvement of systemic alterations such as the increased intensity of reactive oxygen species and proinflammatory cytokines in the blood, transformed gut microbiome, and activation of the adaptive immune response have received consideration. Investigations in veterans have suggested that brain dysfunction in GWI is linked to chronic activation of the executive control network, impaired functional connectivity, altered blood flow, persistent inflammation, and changes in miRNA levels. Lack of protective alleles from Class II HLA genes, the altered concentration of phospholipid species and proinflammatory factors in the circulating blood have also been suggested as other aiding factors. While some drugs or combination therapies have shown promise for alleviating symptoms in clinical trials, larger double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are needed to validate such findings. Based on improvements seen in animal models of GWI, several antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds are currently being tested in clinical trials. However, reliable blood biomarkers that facilitate an appropriate screening of veterans for brain pathology need to be discovered. A liquid biopsy approach involving analysis of brain-derived extracellular vesicles in the blood appears efficient for discerning the extent of neuropathology both before and during clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Dickey
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple, TX, USA
| | - Leelavathi N Madhu
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Ashok K Shetty
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, College Station, TX, USA.
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Klement W, Oliviero F, Gangarossa G, Zub E, De Bock F, Forner-Piquer I, Blaquiere M, Lasserre F, Pascussi JM, Maurice T, Audinat E, Ellero-Simatos S, Gamet-Payrastre L, Mselli-Lakhal L, Marchi N. Life-long Dietary Pesticide Cocktail Induces Astrogliosis Along with Behavioral Adaptations and Activates p450 Metabolic Pathways. Neuroscience 2020; 446:225-237. [PMID: 32736067 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental contaminants is a public health concern. However, pre-clinical studies that examine the impact of pesticides at low-dose and the long-term consequences are uncommon. Here, C57BL6/j male and female mice were daily fed from weaning and up to 12 months, corresponding to early-childhood into middle-age in humans, using chow pellets containing a cocktail of pesticides at tolerable daily intake levels. We found that 12 months of dietary exposure to pesticides was associated with a moderate perenchymal or perivascular astrogliosis in specific hippocampal sub-regions. The expression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta was modified at the perivascular level. Examination of Iba1+ microglial cells did not reveal sizeable changes. Concomitantly to astrogliosis, spontaneous spatial memory and sociability were modified in males at 12 months of dietary exposure to pesticides. Telemetry electrocorticograhic explorations ruled out the presence of epileptiform activity or theta-gamma wave modifications in these conditions. Long-term pesticides impacted the periphery where the hepatic P450 metabolic cytochromes Cyp4a14 and Cyp4a10 were significantly upregulated in male and female mice during the 12 months of exposure. The expression of β-oxidation genes, such as Acox1, Cpt1a and Eci, was also significantly increased in male and female mice in response to pesticides. Collectively, our results indicate that a life-long exposure to a pesticide cocktail elicits sex-dependent, spatio-temporally restricted brain modifications and significant activation of P450 pathways in the periphery. These brain-peripheral adjustments are discussed as time or age-dependent vulnerability elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Klement
- Institute of Functional Genomics (UMR 5203 CNRS - U 1191 INSERM, University of Montpellier), Montpellier, France
| | - Fabiana Oliviero
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | | | - Emma Zub
- Institute of Functional Genomics (UMR 5203 CNRS - U 1191 INSERM, University of Montpellier), Montpellier, France
| | - Frederic De Bock
- Institute of Functional Genomics (UMR 5203 CNRS - U 1191 INSERM, University of Montpellier), Montpellier, France
| | - Isabel Forner-Piquer
- Institute of Functional Genomics (UMR 5203 CNRS - U 1191 INSERM, University of Montpellier), Montpellier, France
| | - Marine Blaquiere
- Institute of Functional Genomics (UMR 5203 CNRS - U 1191 INSERM, University of Montpellier), Montpellier, France
| | - Frederic Lasserre
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-Marc Pascussi
- Institute of Functional Genomics (UMR 5203 CNRS - U 1191 INSERM, University of Montpellier), Montpellier, France
| | - Tangui Maurice
- MMDN, University of Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, UMR_S1198, Montpellier, France
| | - Etienne Audinat
- Institute of Functional Genomics (UMR 5203 CNRS - U 1191 INSERM, University of Montpellier), Montpellier, France
| | - Sandrine Ellero-Simatos
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Laurence Gamet-Payrastre
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Laila Mselli-Lakhal
- Toxalim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, INP-Purpan, UPS, 31300 Toulouse, France
| | - Nicola Marchi
- Institute of Functional Genomics (UMR 5203 CNRS - U 1191 INSERM, University of Montpellier), Montpellier, France.
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Ramirez-Sanchez I, Navarrete-Yañez V, Garate-Carrillo A, Loredo M, Lira-Romero E, Estrada-Mena J, Campeau A, Gonzalez D, Carrillo-Terrazas M, Moreno-Ulloa A, Ceballos G, Villarreal F. Development of muscle atrophy and loss of function in a Gulf-War illness model: underlying mechanisms. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14526. [PMID: 32884027 PMCID: PMC7471336 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71486-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Gulf War illness (GWI) afflicts military personnel who served during the Persian Gulf War and is notable for cognitive deficits, depression, muscle pain, weakness, intolerance to exercise, and fatigue. Suspect causal agents include the chemicals pyridostigmine (PB), permetrim (PM) and N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) used as protectants against insects and nerve gases. No pre-clinical studies have explored the effects on skeletal muscle (SkM). Young male rats were provided PB, PM and DEET at equivalent human doses and physical restraint (to induce stress) for 3 weeks followed a 3-week recovery. GWI gastrocnemius weight was ~ 35% lower versus controls, which correlated with decreases in myofiber area, limb strength, and treadmill time/distance. In GWI rats, SkM fiber type relative abundance changed towards slow type I. Muscle wasting pathway proteins were upregulated while those that promote growth decreased as did mitochondrial endpoints and muscle ATP levels. Proteomic analysis of SkM also documented unique alterations in mitochondrial and metabolic pathways. Thus, exposure to GWI chemicals/stress adversely impacts key metabolic pathways leading to muscle atrophy and loss of function. These changes may account for GWI Veterans symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israel Ramirez-Sanchez
- School of Medicine, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Dr. BSB4028, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0613, USA
- Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Viridiana Navarrete-Yañez
- Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alejandra Garate-Carrillo
- School of Medicine, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Dr. BSB4028, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0613, USA
- Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Maria Loredo
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Panamericana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | | | - Anaamika Campeau
- School of Medicine, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Dr. BSB4028, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0613, USA
| | - David Gonzalez
- School of Medicine, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Dr. BSB4028, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0613, USA
| | | | | | - Guillermo Ceballos
- Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Francisco Villarreal
- School of Medicine, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Dr. BSB4028, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0613, USA.
- VA San Diego Health Care, San Diego, CA, USA.
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In-vivo imaging of neuroinflammation in veterans with Gulf War illness. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 87:498-507. [PMID: 32027960 PMCID: PMC7864588 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic disorder affecting approximately 30% of the veterans who served in the 1991 Gulf War. It is characterised by a constellation of symptoms including musculoskeletal pain, cognitive problems and fatigue. The cause of GWI is not definitively known but exposure to neurotoxicants, the prophylactic use of pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills, and/or stressors during deployment have all been suspected to play some pathogenic role. Recent animal models of GWI have suggested that neuroinflammatory mechanisms may be implicated, including a dysregulated activation of microglia and astrocytes. However, neuroinflammation has not previously been directly observed in veterans with GWI. To measure GWI-related neuroinflammation in GW veterans, we conducted a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) study using [11C]PBR28, which binds to the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO), a protein upregulated in activated microglia/macrophages and astrocytes. Veterans with GWI (n = 15) and healthy controls (HC, n = 33, including a subgroup of healthy GW veterans, HCVET, n = 8), were examined using integrated [11C]PBR28 PET/MRI. Standardized uptake values normalized by occipital cortex signal (SUVR) were compared across groups and against clinical variables and circulating inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β). SUVR were validated against volume of distribution ratio (n = 13). Whether compared to the whole HC group, or only the HCVET subgroup, veterans with GWI demonstrated widespread cortical elevations in [11C]PBR28 PET signal, in areas including precuneus, prefrontal, primary motor and somatosensory cortices. There were no significant group differences in the plasma levels of the inflammatory cytokines evaluated. There were also no significant correlations between [11C]PBR28 PET signal and clinical variables or circulating inflammatory cytokines. Our study provides the first direct evidence of brain upregulation of the neuroinflammatory marker TSPO in veterans with GWI and supports the exploration of neuroinflammation as a therapeutic target for this disorder.
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Rossetti MF, Stoker C, Ramos JG. Agrochemicals and neurogenesis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 510:110820. [PMID: 32315720 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Agrochemicals or pesticides are compounds widely used to prevent, destroy or mitigate pests such as insects, rodents, herbs and weeds. However, most of them also act as environmental estrogens, anti-estrogens and/or antiandrogenic chemicals. In addition, both herbicides (such as glyphosate and paraquat) and insecticides (such as pyrethroids, organophosphates, neonicotinoids and rotenone) have been shown to exert significant adverse effects on hippocampal neurogenesis. These effects are particularly important because neurogenesis dysregulation could be associated with cognitive decline and neuropathologies such as Alzheimer's disease. This review focuses on the most commonly used agrochemicals in Argentina and their effects on the hippocampal neurogenesis of mammals. It also discusses the disruption of hormone synthesis and action as a possible mechanism through which these chemical compounds could alter the brain functions. Finally, we propose some lines of research to study the potential endocrine mechanisms involved in the effects of agrochemicals on human health and biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Florencia Rossetti
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica y Cuantitativa, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina; Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral (ISAL), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL)- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, UNL, Argentina
| | - Cora Stoker
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica y Cuantitativa, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina; Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral (ISAL), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL)- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, UNL, Argentina
| | - Jorge G Ramos
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica y Cuantitativa, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina; Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral (ISAL), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL)- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, UNL, Argentina.
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Michalovicz LT, Kelly KA, Sullivan K, O'Callaghan JP. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor exposures as an initiating factor in the development of Gulf War Illness, a chronic neuroimmune disorder in deployed veterans. Neuropharmacology 2020; 171:108073. [PMID: 32247728 PMCID: PMC7398580 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multi-symptom disorder, characterized by symptoms such as fatigue, pain, cognitive and memory impairment, respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal problems, that is experienced by approximately one-third of 1991 Gulf War veterans. Over the nearly three decades since the end of the war, investigators have worked to elucidate the initiating factors and underlying causes of GWI. A significant portion of this research has indicated a strong correlation between GWI and exposure to a number of different acetycholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) in theater, such as sarin and cyclosarin nerve agents, chlorpyrifos and dichlorvos pesticides, and the anti-nerve agent prophylactic pyridostigmine bromide. Through studying these exposures and their relationship to the symptoms presented by ill veterans, it has become increasingly apparent that GWI is the likely result of an underlying neuroimmune disorder. While evidence indicates that AChEIs are a key exposure in the development of GWI, particularly organophosphate AChEIs, the mechanism(s) by which these chemicals instigate illness appears to be related to "off-target", non-cholinergic effects. In this review, we will discuss the role of AChEI exposure in the development and persistence of GWI; in particular, how these chemicals, combined with other exposures, have led to a chronic neuroimmune disorder. This article is part of the special issue entitled 'Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors: From Bench to Bedside to Battlefield'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay T Michalovicz
- Health Effects Laboratory Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Kimberly A Kelly
- Health Effects Laboratory Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | | | - James P O'Callaghan
- Health Effects Laboratory Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV, USA.
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Carpenter JM, Gordon HE, Ludwig HD, Wagner JJ, Harn DA, Norberg T, Filipov NM. Neurochemical and neuroinflammatory perturbations in two Gulf War Illness models: Modulation by the immunotherapeutic LNFPIII. Neurotoxicology 2019; 77:40-50. [PMID: 31866310 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2019.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) manifests a multitude of symptoms, including neurological and immunological, and approximately a third of the 1990-1991 Gulf War (GW) veterans suffer from it. This study sought to characterize the acute neurochemical (monoamine) and neuroinflammatory profiles of two established GWI animal models and examine the potential modulatory effects of the novel immunotherapeutic Lacto-N-fucopentaose III (LNFPIII). In Model 1, male C57BL/6 J mice were treated for 10 days with pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and permethrin (PM). In Model 2, a separate cohort of mice were treated for 14 days with PB and N,N-Diethyl-methylbenzamide (DEET), plus corticosterone (CORT) via drinking water on days 8-14 and diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) on day 15. LNFPIII was administered concurrently with GWI chemicals treatments. Brain and spleen monoamines and hippocampal inflammatory marker expression were examined by, respectively, HPLC-ECD and qPCR, 6 h post treatment cessation. Serotonergic (5-HT) and dopaminergic (DA) dyshomeostasis caused by GWI chemicals was apparent in multiple brain regions, primarily in the nucleus accumbens (5-HT) and hippocampus (5-HT, DA) for both models. Splenic levels of 5-HT (both models) and norepinephrine (Model 2) were also disrupted by GWI chemicals. LNFPIII treatment prevented many of the GWI chemicals induced monoamine alterations. Hippocampal inflammatory cytokines were increased in both models, but the magnitude and spread of inflammation was greater in Model 2; LNFPIII was anti-inflammatory, more so in the apparently milder Model 1. Overall, in both models, GWI chemicals led to monoamine disbalance and neuroinflammation. LNFPIII co-treatment prevented many of these disruptions in both models, which is indicative of its promise as a potential GWI therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Carpenter
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Athens, GA, United States
| | - H E Gordon
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Athens, GA, United States
| | - H D Ludwig
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Athens, GA, United States
| | - J J Wagner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Athens, GA, United States
| | - D A Harn
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Athens, GA, United States; Center for Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - T Norberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - N M Filipov
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Athens, GA, United States.
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Health Status of Female and Male Gulf War and Gulf Era Veterans: A Population-Based Study. Womens Health Issues 2019; 29 Suppl 1:S39-S46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Gopinath KS, Sakoglu U, Crosson BA, Haley RW. Exploring brain mechanisms underlying Gulf War Illness with group ICA based analysis of fMRI resting state networks. Neurosci Lett 2019; 701:136-141. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.02.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Inhibition of microRNA-124-3p as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of Gulf War Illness: Evaluation in a rat model. Neurotoxicology 2018; 71:16-30. [PMID: 30503814 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic, multisymptom illness that continues to affect up to 30% of veterans deployed to the Persian Gulf during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. After nearly 30 years, useful treatments for GWI are lacking and underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in its pathobiology remain poorly understood, although exposures to pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and pesticides are consistently identified to be among the strongest risk factors. Alleviation of the broad range of symptoms manifested in GWI, which involve the central nervous system, the neuroendocrine system, and the immune system likely requires therapies that are able to activate and inactivate a large set of orchestrated genes. Previous work in our laboratory using an established rat model of GWI identified persistent elevation of microRNA-124-3p (miR-124) levels in the hippocampus whose numerous gene targets are involved in cognition-associated pathways and neuroendocrine function. This study aimed to investigate the broad effects of miR-124 inhibition in the brain 9 months after completion of a 28-day exposure regimen of PB, DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide), permethrin, and mild stress by profiling the hippocampal expression of genes known to play a critical role in synaptic plasticity, glucocorticoid signaling, and neurogenesis. We determined that intracerebroventricular infusion of a miR-124 antisense oligonucleotide (miR-124 inhibitor; 0.05-0.5 nmol/day/28 days), but not a negative control oligonucleotide, into the lateral ventricle of the brain caused increased protein expression of multiple validated miR-124 targets and increased expression of downstream target genes important for cognition and neuroendocrine signaling in the hippocampus. Off-target cardiotoxic effects were revealed in GWI rats receiving 0.1 nmol/day as indicated by the detection in plasma of 5 highly elevated protein cardiac injury markers and 6 upregulated cardiac-enriched miRNAs in plasma exosomes determined by next-generation sequencing. Results from this study suggest that in vivo inhibition of miR-124 function in the hippocampus is a promising, novel therapeutic approach to improve cognition and neuroendocrine dysfunction in GWI. Additional preclinical studies in animal models to assess feasibility and safety by developing a practical, noninvasive drug delivery system to the brain and exploring potential adverse toxicologic effects of miR-124 inhibition are warranted.
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Barth SK, Dursa EK, Bossarte RM, Schneiderman AI. Trends in brain cancer mortality among U.S. Gulf War veterans: 21 year follow-up. Cancer Epidemiol 2017; 50:22-29. [PMID: 28780478 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2017.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous mortality studies of U.S. Gulf War veterans through 2000 and 2004 have shown an increased risk of brain cancer mortality among some deployed individuals. When veterans possibly exposed to environmental contaminants associated with demolition of the Khamisiyah Ammunition Storage Facility at Khamisiyah, Iraq, have been compared to contemporaneously deployed unexposed veterans, the results have suggested increased risk for mortality from brain cancer among the exposed. Brain cancer mortality risk in this cohort has not been updated since 2004. METHODS This study analyzes the risk for brain cancer mortality between 1991-2011 through two series of comparisons: U.S. Gulf War deployed and non-deployed veterans from the same era; and veterans possibly exposed to environmental contaminants at Khamisiyah compared to contemporaneously deployed but unexposed U.S. Gulf War veterans. Risk of brain cancer mortality was determined using logistic regression. Life test hazard models were created to plot comparisons of annual hazard rates. Joinpoint regression models were applied to assess trends in hazard rates for brain cancer mortality. RESULTS U.S. Army veterans possibly exposed at Khamisiyah had similar rates of brain cancer mortality compared to those not possibly exposed; however, veterans possibly exposed had a higher risk of brain cancer in the time period immediately following the Gulf War. CONCLUSION Results from these analyses suggest that veterans possibly exposed at Khamisiyah experienced different patterns of brain cancer mortality risk compared to the other groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon K Barth
- VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Canandaigua VA Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY, USA; West Virginia University Injury Control Research Center, Morgantown, WV, USA.
| | - Erin K Dursa
- Post Deployment Health Epidemiology Program, Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, USA
| | - Robert M Bossarte
- VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Canandaigua VA Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY, USA; West Virginia University Injury Control Research Center and Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Aaron I Schneiderman
- Post Deployment Health Epidemiology Program, Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, USA
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TRPA1 channel mediates organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy. Cell Discov 2017; 3:17024. [PMID: 28894590 PMCID: PMC5537602 DOI: 10.1038/celldisc.2017.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN), often leads to paresthesias, ataxia and paralysis, occurs in the late-stage of acute poisoning or after repeated exposures to organophosphate (OP) insecticides or nerve agents, and may contribute to the Gulf War Syndrome. The acute phase of OP poisoning is often attributed to acetylcholinesterase inhibition. However, the underlying mechanism for the delayed neuropathy remains unknown and no treatment is available. Here we demonstrate that TRPA1 channel (Transient receptor potential cation channel, member A1) mediates OPIDN. A variety of OPs, exemplified by malathion, activates TRPA1 but not other neuronal TRP channels. Malathion increases the intracellular calcium levels and upregulates the excitability of mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons in vitro. Mice with repeated exposures to malathion also develop local tissue nerve injuries and pain-related behaviors, which resembles OPIDN. Both the neuropathological changes and the nocifensive behaviors can be attenuated by treatment of TRPA1 antagonist HC030031 or abolished by knockout of Trpa1 gene. In the classic hens OPIDN model, malathion causes nerve injuries and ataxia to a similar level as the positive inducer tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (TOCP), which also activates TRPA1 channel. Treatment with HC030031 reduces the damages caused by malathion or tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate. Duloxetine and Ketotifen, two commercially available drugs exhibiting TRPA1 inhibitory activity, show neuroprotective effects against OPIDN and might be used in emergency situations. The current study suggests TRPA1 is the major mediator of OPIDN and targeting TRPA1 is an effective way for the treatment of OPIDN.
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Shetty GA, Hattiangady B, Upadhya D, Bates A, Attaluri S, Shuai B, Kodali M, Shetty AK. Chronic Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Nrf2 Activation and Inflammation in the Hippocampus Accompany Heightened Systemic Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in an Animal Model of Gulf War Illness. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:182. [PMID: 28659758 PMCID: PMC5469946 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Memory and mood dysfunction are the key symptoms of Gulf war illness (GWI), a lingering multi-symptom ailment afflicting >200,000 veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War-1. Research probing the source of the disease has demonstrated that concomitant exposures to anti-nerve gas agent pyridostigmine bromide (PB), pesticides, and war-related stress are among the chief causes of GWI. Indeed, exposures to GWI-related chemicals (GWIR-Cs) and mild stress in animal models cause memory and mood impairments alongside reduced neurogenesis and chronic low-level inflammation in the hippocampus. In the current study, we examined whether exposure to GWIR-Cs and stress causes chronic changes in the expression of genes related to increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation in the hippocampus. We also investigated whether GWI is linked with chronically increased activation of Nrf2 (a master regulator of antioxidant response) in the hippocampus, and inflammation and enhanced oxidative stress at the systemic level. Adult male rats were exposed daily to low-doses of PB and pesticides (DEET and permethrin), in combination with 5 min of restraint stress for 4 weeks. Analysis of the hippocampus performed 6 months after the exposure revealed increased expression of many genes related to oxidative stress response and/or antioxidant activity (Hmox1, Sepp1, and Srxn1), reactive oxygen species metabolism (Fmo2, Sod2, and Ucp2) and oxygen transport (Ift172 and Slc38a1). Furthermore, multiple genes relevant to mitochondrial respiration (Atp6a1, Cox6a1, Cox7a2L, Ndufs7, Ndufv1, Lhpp, Slc25a10, and Ucp1) and neuroinflammation (Nfkb1, Bcl6, Csf2, IL6, Mapk1, Mapk3, Ngf, N-pac, and Prkaca) were up-regulated, alongside 73–88% reduction in the expression of anti-inflammatory genes IL4 and IL10, and nuclear translocation and increased expression of Nrf2 protein. These hippocampal changes were associated with elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (Tnfa, IL1b, IL1a, Tgfb, and Fgf2) and lipid peroxidation byproduct malondialdehyde in the serum, suggesting the presence of an incessant systemic inflammation and elevated oxidative stress. These results imply that chronic oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction in the hippocampus, and heightened systemic inflammation and oxidative stress likely underlie the persistent memory and mood dysfunction observed in GWI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geetha A Shetty
- Research Service, Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, TempleTX, United States.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple and College StationTX, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, College StationTX, United States
| | - Bharathi Hattiangady
- Research Service, Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, TempleTX, United States.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple and College StationTX, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, College StationTX, United States
| | - Dinesh Upadhya
- Research Service, Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, TempleTX, United States.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple and College StationTX, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, College StationTX, United States
| | - Adrian Bates
- Research Service, Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, TempleTX, United States.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple and College StationTX, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, College StationTX, United States
| | - Sahithi Attaluri
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple and College StationTX, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, College StationTX, United States
| | - Bing Shuai
- Research Service, Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, TempleTX, United States.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple and College StationTX, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, College StationTX, United States
| | - Maheedhar Kodali
- Research Service, Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, TempleTX, United States.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple and College StationTX, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, College StationTX, United States
| | - Ashok K Shetty
- Research Service, Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, TempleTX, United States.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple and College StationTX, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, College StationTX, United States
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Zakirova Z, Reed J, Crynen G, Horne L, Hassan S, Mathura V, Mullan M, Crawford F, Ait-Ghezala G. Complementary proteomic approaches reveal mitochondrial dysfunction, immune and inflammatory dysregulation in a mouse model of Gulf War Illness. Proteomics Clin Appl 2017; 11. [PMID: 28371386 PMCID: PMC5637931 DOI: 10.1002/prca.201600190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2016] [Revised: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Long‐term consequences of combined pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and permethrin (PER) exposure in C57BL6/J mice using a well‐characterized mouse model of exposure to these Gulf War (GW) agents were explored at the protein level. Experimental design We used orthogonal proteomic approaches to identify pathways that are chronically impacted in the mouse CNS due to semiacute GW agent exposure early in life. These analyses were performed on soluble and membrane‐bound protein fractions from brain samples using two orthogonal isotopic labeling LC‐MS/MS proteomic approaches—stable isotope dimethyl labeling and iTRAQ. Results The use of these approaches allowed for greater coverage of proteins than was possible by either one alone and revealed both distinct and overlapping datasets. This combined analysis identified changes in several mitochondrial, as well as immune and inflammatory pathways after GW agent exposure. Conclusions and clinical relevance The work discussed here provides insight into GW agent exposure dependent mechanisms that adversely affect mitochondrial function and immune and inflammatory regulation. Collectively, our work identified key pathways which were chronically impacted in the mouse CNS following acute GW agent exposure, this may lead to the identification of potential targets for therapeutic intervention in the future. Long‐term consequences of combined PB and PER exposure in C57BL6/J mice using a well‐characterized mouse model of exposure to these GW agents were explored at the protein level. Expanding on earlier work, we used orthogonal proteomic approaches to identify pathways that are chronically impacted in the mouse CNS due to semiacute GW agent exposure early in life. These analyses were performed on soluble and membrane‐bound protein fractions from brain samples using two orthogonal isotopic labeling LC‐MS/MS proteomic approaches—stable isotope dimethyl labeling and iTRAQ. The use of these approaches allowed for greater coverage of proteins than was possible by either one alone and revealed both distinct and overlapping datasets. This combined analysis identified changes in several mitochondrial, as well as immune and inflammatory pathways after GW agent exposure. The work discussed here provides insight into GW agent exposure dependent mechanisms that adversely affect mitochondrial function and immune and inflammatory regulation at 5 months postexposure to PB + PER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuchra Zakirova
- Department of Genomics, The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jon Reed
- Department of Genomics, The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA.,Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, CT, USA
| | - Gogce Crynen
- Department of Genomics, The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Lauren Horne
- Department of Genomics, The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Samira Hassan
- Department of Genomics, The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA.,University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, USA
| | | | - Michael Mullan
- Department of Genomics, The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Fiona Crawford
- Department of Genomics, The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA.,James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ghania Ait-Ghezala
- Department of Genomics, The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA.,James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
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Screening for novel central nervous system biomarkers in veterans with Gulf War Illness. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2017; 61:36-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2017.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Altered gut microbiome in a mouse model of Gulf War Illness causes neuroinflammation and intestinal injury via leaky gut and TLR4 activation. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0172914. [PMID: 28328972 PMCID: PMC5362211 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many of the symptoms of Gulf War Illness (GWI) that include neurological abnormalities, neuroinflammation, chronic fatigue and gastrointestinal disturbances have been traced to Gulf War chemical exposure. Though the association and subsequent evidences are strong, the mechanisms that connect exposure to intestinal and neurological abnormalities remain unclear. Using an established rodent model of Gulf War Illness, we show that chemical exposure caused significant dysbiosis in the gut that included increased abundance of phylum Firmicutes and Tenericutes, and decreased abundance of Bacteroidetes. Several gram negative bacterial genera were enriched in the GWI-model that included Allobaculum sp. Altered microbiome caused significant decrease in tight junction protein Occludin with a concomitant increase in Claudin-2, a signature of a leaky gut. Resultant leaching of gut caused portal endotoxemia that led to upregulation of toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation in the small intestine and the brain. TLR4 knock out mice and mice that had gut decontamination showed significant decrease in tyrosine nitration and inflammatory mediators IL1β and MCP-1 in both the small intestine and frontal cortex. These events signified that gut dysbiosis with simultaneous leaky gut and systemic endotoxemia-induced TLR4 activation contributes to GW chemical-induced neuroinflammation and gastrointestinal disturbances.
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Abdullah L, Evans JE, Joshi U, Crynen G, Reed J, Mouzon B, Baumann S, Montague H, Zakirova Z, Emmerich T, Bachmeier C, Klimas N, Sullivan K, Mullan M, Ait-Ghezala G, Crawford F. Translational potential of long-term decreases in mitochondrial lipids in a mouse model of Gulf War Illness. Toxicology 2016; 372:22-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2016.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Lahouel A, Kebieche M, Lakroun Z, Rouabhi R, Fetoui H, Chtourou Y, Djamila Z, Soulimani R. Neurobehavioral deficits and brain oxidative stress induced by chronic low dose exposure of persistent organic pollutants mixture in adult female rat. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 23:19030-19040. [PMID: 27240828 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-6913-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are long-lived organic compounds that are considered one of the major risks to ecosystem and human health. Recently, great concerns are raised about POPs mixtures and its potential toxicity even in low doses of daily human exposure. The brain is mostly targeted by these lipophilic compounds because of its important contain in lipids. So, it would be quite interesting to study the effects of exposure to these mixtures and evaluate their combined toxicity on brain cells. The present study was designed to characterize the cognitive and locomotors deficits and brain areas redox status in rat model. An orally chronic exposure to a representative mixture of POPs composed of endosulfan (2.6 μg/kg), chlorpyrifos (5.2 μg/kg), naphthalene (0.023 μg/kg) and benzopyrane (0.002 μg/kg); the same mixture with concentration multiplied by 10 and 100 was also tested. Exposed rats have shown a disturbance of memory and a decrease in learning ability concluded by Morris water maze and the open field tests results and anxiolytic behaviour in the test of light/dark box compared to control. Concerning brain redox homeostasis, exposed rats have shown an increased malondialdehyde (MDA) amount and an alteration in glutathione (GSH) levels in both the brain mitochondria and cytosolic fractions of the cerebellum, striatum and hippocampus. These effects were accompanied by a decrease in levels of cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) and a highly significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in both cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions. The current study suggests that environmental exposure to daily even low doses of POPs mixtures through diet induces oxidative stress status in the brain and especially in the mitochondria with important cognitive and locomotor behaviour variations in the rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Lahouel
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Jijel, Jijel, Algeria
| | - Mohamed Kebieche
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Jijel, Jijel, Algeria.
- Laboratory of Food Neurotoxicology and Bioactivity, University of Metz, Metz, France.
| | - Zohra Lakroun
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Jijel, Jijel, Algeria
| | - Rachid Rouabhi
- Faculty of SESNV, Applied Biology Department, University of Tebessa, Tebessa, Algeria
| | - Hamadi Fetoui
- Toxicology-Microbiology and Environmental Health Unit (UR11ES70), University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Yassine Chtourou
- Toxicology-Microbiology and Environmental Health Unit (UR11ES70), University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Zama Djamila
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Mentouri 1, Constantine, Algeria
| | - Rachid Soulimani
- Laboratory of Food Neurotoxicology and Bioactivity, University of Metz, Metz, France
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