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Ruigrok S, Kotah J, Kuindersma J, Speijer E, van Irsen A, la Fleur S, Korosi A. Adult food choices depend on sex and exposure to early-life stress: Underlying brain circuitry, adipose tissue adaptations and metabolic responses. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100360. [PMID: 34277896 PMCID: PMC8264217 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to early-life stress (ES) increases the risk to develop obesity later in life, and these effects may be sex-specific, but it is currently unknown what underlies the ES-induced metabolic vulnerability. We have previously shown that ES leads to a leaner phenotype under standard chow diet conditions, but to increased fat accumulation when exposed to an unhealthy obesogenic diet. However these diets were fed without a choice. An important, yet under investigated, element contributing to the development of obesity in humans is the choice of the food. There is initial evidence that ES leads to altered food choices but a thorough testing on how ES affects the choice of both the fat and sugar component, and if this is similar in males and females, is currently missing. We hypothesized that ES increases the choice for unhealthy foods, while it at the same time also affects the response to such a diet. In a mouse model for ES, in which mice are exposed to limited nesting and bedding material from postnatal day (P)2–P9, we investigated if ES exposure affected i) food choice with a free choice high-fat high-sugar diet (fcHFHS), ii) the response to such a diet, iii) the brain circuits that regulate food intake and food reward and iv) if such ES effects are sex-specific. We show that there are sex differences in food choice under basal circumstances, and that ES increases fat intake in females when exposed to a mild acute stressor. Moreover, ES impacts the physiologic response to the fcHFHS and the brain circuits regulating food intake in sex-specific manner. Our data highlight sex-specific effects of ES on metabolic functioning and food choice. Strong sex differences exist in food choice and metabolism in mice. Early-life stress (ES) increases fat intake in females after mild acute stress exposure. The physiological response to the diet is affected by ES in a sex-dependent manner. ES modulates the hedonic feeding circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- S.R. Ruigrok
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - J.M. Kotah
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - J.E. Kuindersma
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - E. Speijer
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - A.A.S. van Irsen
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S.E. la Fleur
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Laboratory of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical Chemistry & Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Meibergdreef 47, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - A. Korosi
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Corresponding author.
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Foright RM, Johnson GC, Kahn D, Charleston CA, Presby DM, Bouchet CA, Wellberg EA, Sherk VD, Jackman MR, Greenwood BN, MacLean PS. Compensatory eating behaviors in male and female rats in response to exercise training. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2020; 319:R171-R183. [PMID: 32551825 PMCID: PMC7473893 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00259.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Exercise is often used as a strategy for weight loss maintenance. In preclinical models, we have shown that exercise may be beneficial because it counters the biological drive to regain weight. However, our studies have demonstrated sex differences in the response to exercise in this context. In the present study, we sought to better understand why females and males exhibit different compensatory food eating behaviors in response to regular exercise. Using a forced treadmill exercise paradigm, we measured weight gain, energy expenditure, food intake in real time, and the anorectic effects of leptin. The 4-wk exercise training resulted in reduced weight gain in males and sustained weight gain in females. In male rats, exercise decreased intake, whereas it increased food intake in females. Our results suggest that the anorectic effects of leptin were not responsible for these sex differences in appetite in response to exercise. If these results translate to the human condition, they may reveal important information for the use and application of regular exercise programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Foright
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Ginger C Johnson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Darcy Kahn
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Catherine A Charleston
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - David M Presby
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Courtney A Bouchet
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado
| | - Elizabeth A Wellberg
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Vanessa D Sherk
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Department of Orthopedics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Matthew R Jackman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | | | - Paul S MacLean
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
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Yang TY, Gardner JC, Gao Z, Pan YX, Liang NC. Role of glucocorticoid signaling in exercise-associated changes in high-fat diet preference in rats. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2020; 318:R515-R528. [PMID: 31940232 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00288.2019] [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] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The simultaneous introduction of wheel running (WR) and diet choice (high-carbohydrate chow vs. high-fat diet) results in sex-specific diet choice patterns in rats. WR induces a high-fat (HF) diet avoidance, and such avoidance persists in the majority of males, but not females, throughout a 2-wk period. Exercise is a physiological stressor that activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and stimulates glucocorticoid (GC) release, which can alter dietary preferences. Here, we examined the role of the HPA axis and GC signaling in mediating exercise-induced changes in diet preference and the associated neurobiological adaptations that may underlie sex differences in diet choice patterns. Experiment 1 revealed that adrenalectomy did not significantly alter the initiation and persistence of running-induced HF diet avoidance in male rats. Experiment 2 showed that acute WR resulted in greater neural activation than chronic WR in the medial prefrontal (mPFC) and insular cortices (IC) in male rats. Experiment 3 revealed sex differences in the molecular adaptation to exercise and diet preference. First, exercise increased gene expression of fkbp5 in the mPFC, IC, and hippocampus of WR females but had limited influence in males. Second, male and female WR rats that reversed or maintained HF diet avoidance showed distinct sex- and HF diet preference-dependent expression profiles of genes involved in cortical GC signaling (e.g., nr3c1, nr3c2, and src1). Taken together, our results suggest sex differences in region-specific neural adaptations may underlie sex differences in diet preference and the health benefits from exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Y Yang
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
| | - Jennie C Gardner
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
| | - Zijun Gao
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
| | - Yuan-Xiang Pan
- Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Champaign, Illinois.,Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
| | - Nu-Chu Liang
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Champaign, Illinois.,Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Champaign, Illinois.,Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
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