1
|
Żabińska M, Wiśniewska K, Węgrzyn G, Pierzynowska K. Exploring the physiological role of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) and its associations with human diseases. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107070. [PMID: 38733757 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen is a group of hormones that collaborate with the nervous system to impact the overall well-being of all genders. It influences many processes, including those occurring in the central nervous system, affecting learning and memory, and playing roles in neurodegenerative diseases and mental disorders. The hormone's action is mediated by specific receptors. Significant roles of classical estrogen receptors, ERα and ERβ, in various diseases were known since many years, but after identifying a structurally and locationally distinct receptor, the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), its role in human physiology and pathophysiology was investigated. This review compiles GPER-related information, highlighting its impact on homeostasis and diseases, while putting special attention on functions and dysfunctions of this receptor in neurobiology and biobehavioral processes. Understanding the receptor modulation possibilities is essential for therapy, as disruptions in receptors can lead to diseases or disorders, irrespective of correct estrogen levels. We conclude that studies on the GPER receptor have the potential to develop therapies that regulate estrogen and positively impact human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Żabińska
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, Gdansk 80-308, Poland
| | - Karolina Wiśniewska
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, Gdansk 80-308, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Węgrzyn
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, Gdansk 80-308, Poland
| | - Karolina Pierzynowska
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, Gdansk 80-308, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Poitras M, Doiron A, Plamondon H. Selective estrogen receptor activation prior to global cerebral ischemia in female rats impacts microglial activation and anxiety-like behaviors without effects on CA1 neuronal injury. Behav Brain Res 2024; 470:115094. [PMID: 38844057 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor (ER) activation by 17-ß estradiol (E2) can attenuate neuronal injury and behavioral impairments following global cerebral ischemia (GCI) in rodents. This study sought to further examine the discrete roles of ERs through characterization of the effects of selective ER activation on post-ischemic pro-inflammatory microglial activation, hippocampal neuronal injury, and anxiety-like behaviors. Forty-six ovariectomized (OVX) adult female Wistar rats received daily s.c injections (100 μg/kg/day) of propylpyrazole triol (PPT; ERα agonist), diarylpropionitrile (DPN; ERβ agonist), G-1 (G-protein coupled ER agonist; GPER), E2 (activating all receptors), or vehicle solution (VEH) for 21 days. After final injection, rats underwent GCI via 4-vessel occlusion (n=8 per group) or sham surgery (n=6, vehicle injections). The Open Field Test (OFT), Elevated Plus Maze (EPM), and Hole Board Test (HBT) assessed anxiety-like behaviors. Microglial activation (Iba1, CD68, CD86) in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), CA1 of the hippocampus, and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) was determined 8 days post-ischemia. Compared to sham rats, Iba1 activation and CA1 neuronal injury were increased in all ischemic groups except DPN-treated rats, with PPT-treated ischemic rats also showing increased PVN Iba1-ir expression. Behaviorally, VEH ischemic rats showed slightly elevated anxiety in the EPM compared to sham counterparts, with no significant effects of agonists. While no changes were observed in the OFT, emotion regulation via grooming in the HBT was increased in G-1 rats compared to E2 rats. Our findings support selective ER activation to regulate post-ischemic microglial activation and coping strategies in the HBT, despite minimal impact on hippocampal injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marilou Poitras
- Cerebro Vascular Accidents and Behavioral Recovery Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Alexandra Doiron
- Cerebro Vascular Accidents and Behavioral Recovery Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Hélène Plamondon
- Cerebro Vascular Accidents and Behavioral Recovery Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang Z, Han X, Su X, Yang X, Wang X, Yan J, Qian Q, Wang H. Analysis of key circRNA events in the AOP framework of TCS acting on zebrafish based on the data-driven. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 280:116507. [PMID: 38838465 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116507] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Triclosan (TCS) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic widely used in various personal care products. Research has found that exposure to TCS can cause toxic effects on organisms including neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, disorders of lipid metabolism, and abnormal vascular development, and the corresponding toxic mechanisms are gradually delving into the level of abnormal expression of miRNA regulating gene expression. Although the downstream mechanism of TCS targeting miRNA abnormal expression to induce toxicity is gradually improving, its upstream mechanism is still in a fog. Starting from the abnormal expression data of circRNA in zebrafish larvae induced by TCS, this study conducted a hierarchical analysis of the expression levels of all circRNAs, differential circRNAs, and trend circRNAs, and identified 29 key circRNA events regulating miRNA abnormal expression. In combination with GO and KEGG, the effects of TCS exposure were analyzed from the function and signaling pathway of the corresponding circRNA host gene. Furthermore, based on existing literature evidence about the biological toxicity induced by TCS targeting miRNA as data support, a competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) network characterizing the regulatory relationship between circRNA and miRNA was constructed and optimized. Finally, a comprehensive Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework of multiple levels of events including circRNA, miRNA, mRNA, pathway, and toxicity endpoints was established to systematically elucidate the toxic mechanism of TCS. Moreover, the rationality of the AOP framework was verified from the expression level of miRNA and adverse outcomes such as neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response by knockdown of circRNA48. This paper not only provides the key circRNA events for exploring the upstream mechanism of miRNA regulating gene expression but also provides an AOP framework for comprehensively demonstrating the toxicity mechanism of TCS on zebrafish, which is a theoretical basis for subsequent hazard assessment and prevention and control of TCS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zejun Wang
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Municipal Sewage Resource Utilization Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Xiaowen Han
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Municipal Sewage Resource Utilization Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Xincong Su
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Municipal Sewage Resource Utilization Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Municipal Sewage Resource Utilization Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Xuedong Wang
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Municipal Sewage Resource Utilization Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Jin Yan
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Municipal Sewage Resource Utilization Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Qiuhui Qian
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Municipal Sewage Resource Utilization Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Huili Wang
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Municipal Sewage Resource Utilization Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kang WC, Lee YS, Park K, Kong CH, Jeon M, Kim MS, Jung SY, Choi JH, Ryu JH. Paeonol alleviates postmenopause-induced neuropsychiatric symptoms through the modulation of GPR30 in ovariectomized mice. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 327:118063. [PMID: 38493906 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118063] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The Moutan cortex (MC), the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Anderws (Paeoniaceae), has been historically employed in traditional herbal medicine for addressing women's ailments by replenishing kidney Yin. AIM OF THE STUDY We aimed to explore if paeonol, an active constituent of MC, could ameliorate neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments, associated with post-menopausal syndrome (PMS) in an ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS The experimental design comprised 6 groups, including a sham group, OVX group, paeonol administration groups (3, 10 or 30 mg/kg, p.o.), and an estradiol (E2)-treated positive control group. Behavioral tests including the open field, novel object recognition, Y-maze, elevated plus-maze, splash, and forced swimming tests were conducted. In addition, we investigated the effets of paeonol on the phosphorylated levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), as well as on the expression levels of G protein-coupled receptor (GPR30) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. RESULTS Paeonol treatment (10 and 30 mg/kg, p.o.) effectively reversed the cognitive decline in OVX mice, measured by the novel object recognition and Y-maze tests, similar to that in the positive control group. Additionally, it alleviated anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors, as evaluated by the elevated plus-maze test, splash test, and forced swimming test. Paeonol restored GPR30 expression levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, mirroring the effects of E2 administration. Furthermore, it reversed the reduced expression levels of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus and increased BDNF expression in the hippocampus of OVX mice. CONCLUSION This research suggests that paeonol would be beneficial for alleviating PMS-associated cognitive impairment, anxiety and depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Woo Chang Kang
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Seung Lee
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Keontae Park
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Hyeon Kong
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Mijin Jeon
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Seo Kim
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo Yun Jung
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Hye Choi
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea; Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Hoon Ryu
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea; Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zuloaga DG, Lafrican JJ, Zuloaga KL. Androgen regulation of behavioral stress responses and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105528. [PMID: 38503191 PMCID: PMC11144109 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Testosterone is a powerful steroid hormone that can impact the brain and behavior in various ways, including regulating behavioral and neuroendocrine (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis) stress responses. Early in life androgens can act to alter development of brain regions associated with stress regulation, which ultimately impacts the display of stress responses later in life. Adult circulating androgens can also influence the expression of distinct genes and proteins that regulate stress responses. These changes in the brain are hypothesized to underlie the potent effects of androgens in regulating behaviors related to stress and stress-induced activation of the HPA axis. Androgens can induce alterations in these functions through direct binding to the androgen receptor (AR) or following conversion to estrogens and subsequent binding to estrogen receptors including estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), beta (ERβ), and G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1). In this review, we focus on the role of androgens in regulating behavioral and neuroendocrine stress responses at different stages of the lifespan and the sex hormone receptors involved in regulating these effects. We also review the specific brain regions and cell phenotypes upon which androgens are proposed to act to regulate stress responses with an emphasis on hypothalamic and extended amygdala subregions. This knowledge of androgen effects on these neural systems is critical for understanding how sex hormones regulate stress responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damian G Zuloaga
- Department of Psychology, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA.
| | | | - Kristen L Zuloaga
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Iqbal J, Huang GD, Xue YX, Yang M, Jia XJ. Role of estrogen in sex differences in memory, emotion and neuropsychiatric disorders. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:415. [PMID: 38472517 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09374-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen regulates a wide range of neuronal functions in the brain, such as dendritic spine formation, remodeling of synaptic plasticity, cognition, neurotransmission, and neurodevelopment. Estrogen interacts with intracellular estrogen receptors (ERs) and membrane-bound ERs to produce its effect via genomic and non-genomic pathways. Any alterations in these pathways affect the number, size, and shape of dendritic spines in neurons associated with psychiatric diseases. Increasing evidence suggests that estrogen fluctuation causes changes in dendritic spine density, morphology, and synapse numbers of excitatory and inhibitory neurons differently in males and females. In this review, we discuss the role of estrogen hormone in rodents and humans based on sex differences. First, we explain estrogen role in learning and memory and show that a high estrogen level alleviates the deficits in learning and memory. Secondly, we point out that estrogen produces a striking difference in emotional memories in men and women, which leads them to display sex-specific differences in underlying neuronal signaling. Lastly, we discuss that fluctuations in estrogen levels in men and women are related to neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder (BPD), major depressive disorder (MDD), substance use disorder (SUD), and anxiety disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Javed Iqbal
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No. 77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China
| | - Geng-Di Huang
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No. 77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan-Xue Xue
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Yang
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No. 77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China.
- Clinical College of Mental Health, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xiao-Jian Jia
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No. 77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China.
- Clinical College of Mental Health, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Amirkhosravi L, Khaksari M, Sanjari M, Khorasani P. The nongenomic neuroprotective effects of estrogen, E2-BSA, and G1 following traumatic brain injury: PI3K/Akt and histopathological study. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig 2024; 45:1-15. [PMID: 38507353 DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2023-0066] [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: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Studies suggest that both genomic and nongenomic pathways are involved in mediating the salutary effects of steroids following traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study investigated the nongenomic effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) mediated by the PI3K/p-Akt pathway after TBI. METHODS Ovariectomized rats were apportioned to E2, E2-BSA (E2 conjugated to bovine serum albumin), G1 [G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor agonist (GPER)] or their vehicle was injected following TBI, whereas ICI (classical estrogen receptor antagonist), G15 (GPER antagonist), ICI + G15, and their vehicles were injected before the induction of TBI and injection of drugs. Diffuse TBI was induced by the Marmarou model. Evans blue (EBC, 5 h), brain water contents (BWC), histopathological changes, and brain PI3K and p-Akt protein expressions were measured 24 h after TBI. The veterinary comma scale (VCS) was assessed before and at different times after TBI. RESULTS The results showed a reduction in BWC and EBC and increased VCS in the E2, E2-BSA, and G1 groups. Also, E2, E2-BSA, and G1 reduced brain edema, inflammation, and apoptosis. The ICI and G15 inhibited the beneficial effects of E2, E2-BSA, and G1 on these parameters. All drugs, following TBI, prevented the reduction of brain PI3K/p-Akt expression. The individual or combined use of ICI and G15 eliminated the beneficial effects of E2, E2-BSA, and G1 on PI3K/p-Akt expressions. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicated that PI3K/p-Akt pathway plays a critical role in mediating the salutary effects of estradiol on histopathological changes and neurological outcomes following TBI, suggesting that GPER and classic ERs are involved in regulating the expression of PI3K/p-Akt.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ladan Amirkhosravi
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad Khaksari
- Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, 48463 Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman, Iran
| | - Mojgan Sanjari
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Parisa Khorasani
- Pathology and Stem Cell Research Center, 48463 Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Xue Y, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Zhao T. Activation of GPER-1 Attenuates Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Neurological Impairments in Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-03919-w. [PMID: 38217667 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-03919-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of G1-activated G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) on neurological impairments and neuroinflammation in traumatic brain injury (TBI) mice. The controlled cortical impingement (CCI) method was used to establish the TBI model. The mice were subjected to ovariectomy (OVX) for two weeks prior to modeling. GPER1 agonist G1 was administered by intracerebroventricular injection. Brain tissue water content was detected by wet/dry method, and blood-brain barrier damage was detected by Evans blue extravasation. The neurological impairments in mice were evaluated by open field test, Y-maze test, nest-building test, object location memory test and novel object recognition test. Ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) staining was used to indicate the activation of microglia. Expression of M1/M2-type microglia markers and inflammatory factors were evaluated by ELISA and qRT-PCR. The G1 administration significantly reduced cerebral edema and Evans blue extravasation at injury ipsilateral cortex and basal ganglia in TBI mice. Activation of GPER1 by G1 improved the anxiety behavior and the cognitive dysfunction of mice induced by TBI. G1 administration significantly decreased Iba1-positive staining cells and the mRNA levels of CD86, macrophage cationic peptide 1 (Mcp-1), nitric oxide synthase 2 (Nos2), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), while increased the mRNA levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10), arginase1 (Arg-1) and CD206. Activation of GPER1 through G1 administration has the potential to ameliorate cognitive dysfunction induced by TBI in mice. It may also inhibit the activation of M1 microglia in cortical tissue resulting from TBI, while promoting the activation of M2 microglia and contributing to the regulation of inflammatory responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yafei Xue
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yunze Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yingxi Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Tianzhi Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lipp HP, Krackow S, Turkes E, Benner S, Endo T, Russig H. IntelliCage: the development and perspectives of a mouse- and user-friendly automated behavioral test system. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 17:1270538. [PMID: 38235003 PMCID: PMC10793385 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1270538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
IntelliCage for mice is a rodent home-cage equipped with four corner structures harboring symmetrical double panels for operant conditioning at each of the two sides, either by reward (access to water) or by aversion (non-painful stimuli: air-puffs, LED lights). Corner visits, nose-pokes and actual licks at bottle-nipples are recorded individually using subcutaneously implanted transponders for RFID identification of up to 16 adult mice housed in the same home-cage. This allows for recording individual in-cage activity of mice and applying reward/punishment operant conditioning schemes in corners using workflows designed on a versatile graphic user interface. IntelliCage development had four roots: (i) dissatisfaction with standard approaches for analyzing mouse behavior, including standardization and reproducibility issues, (ii) response to handling and housing animal welfare issues, (iii) the increasing number of mouse models had produced a high work burden on classic manual behavioral phenotyping of single mice. and (iv), studies of transponder-chipped mice in outdoor settings revealed clear genetic behavioral differences in mouse models corresponding to those observed by classic testing in the laboratory. The latter observations were important for the development of home-cage testing in social groups, because they contradicted the traditional belief that animals must be tested under social isolation to prevent disturbance by other group members. The use of IntelliCages reduced indeed the amount of classic testing remarkably, while its flexibility was proved in a wide range of applications worldwide including transcontinental parallel testing. Essentially, two lines of testing emerged: sophisticated analysis of spontaneous behavior in the IntelliCage for screening of new genetic models, and hypothesis testing in many fields of behavioral neuroscience. Upcoming developments of the IntelliCage aim at improved stimulus presentation in the learning corners and videotracking of social interactions within the IntelliCage. Its main advantages are (i) that mice live in social context and are not stressfully handled for experiments, (ii) that studies are not restricted in time and can run in absence of humans, (iii) that it increases reproducibility of behavioral phenotyping worldwide, and (iv) that the industrial standardization of the cage permits retrospective data analysis with new statistical tools even after many years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Peter Lipp
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sven Krackow
- Institute of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Emir Turkes
- Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Seico Benner
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Prossnitz ER, Barton M. The G protein-coupled oestrogen receptor GPER in health and disease: an update. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2023:10.1038/s41574-023-00822-7. [PMID: 37193881 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-023-00822-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Oestrogens and their receptors contribute broadly to physiology and diseases. In premenopausal women, endogenous oestrogens protect against cardiovascular, metabolic and neurological diseases and are involved in hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast cancer. Oestrogens and oestrogen mimetics mediate their effects via the cytosolic and nuclear receptors oestrogen receptor-α (ERα) and oestrogen receptor-β (ERβ) and membrane subpopulations as well as the 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled oestrogen receptor (GPER). GPER, which dates back more than 450 million years in evolution, mediates both rapid signalling and transcriptional regulation. Oestrogen mimetics (such as phytooestrogens and xenooestrogens including endocrine disruptors) and licensed drugs such as selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and downregulators (SERDs) also modulate oestrogen receptor activity in both health and disease. Following up on our previous Review of 2011, we herein summarize the progress made in the field of GPER research over the past decade. We will review molecular, cellular and pharmacological aspects of GPER signalling and function, its contribution to physiology, health and disease, and the potential of GPER to serve as a therapeutic target and prognostic indicator of numerous diseases. We also discuss the first clinical trial evaluating a GPER-selective drug and the opportunity of repurposing licensed drugs for the targeting of GPER in clinical medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Prossnitz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Molecular Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
- Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
| | - Matthias Barton
- Molecular Internal Medicine, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Andreas Grüntzig Foundation, Zürich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Yan B, Mao X, Hu S, Wang S, Liu X, Sun J. Spermidine protects intestinal mucosal barrier function in mice colitis via the AhR/Nrf2 and AhR/STAT3 signaling pathways. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 119:110166. [PMID: 37104918 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation promotes intestinal barrier repair and enhances the gut mucosal barrier function in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Spermidine is beneficial in several murine models of IBD and may affect AhR activity. However, the precise effects of spermidine on the intestinal barrier and AhR remain unclear. This study was designed to investigate whether spermidine affects AhR and gut barrier function in IBD models as well as, its underlying mechanism. METHODS We used dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)- and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced mice, as well as, Caco2 cells incubated with TNF-α and IFN-γ to establish multiple IBD models, followed by spermidine intervention. Alcian blue/Periodic acid-Schiff (AB/PAS) staining, Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran permeability assay, transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), tight junction protein (TJs) expression, and 16S rRNA scope in situ hybridization were performed to assess intestinal barrier function. AhR expression and the associated pathways were measured. AhR-targeted adeno-associated virus (AAV) and siRNA were used to explore the related molecular mechanisms. RESULTS Spermidine significantly attenuated the increased intestinal permeability, decreased TER, abnormal distribution of TJs in colitis, and bacterial translocation from the gut tract. Additionally, it significantly increased AhR and Nrf2 expression and inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation. However, the protective effects of spermidine and the related alterations in pathway proteins were largely abolished by the specific inhibition of AhR. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrated that spermidine rescues intestinal barrier defects in mice with colitis via the AhR-Nrf2 and AhR-STAT3 pathways, providing a potential therapeutic agent for IBD and other conditions associated with dysregulated gut barrier function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bing Yan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinjie Mao
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shasha Hu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shimin Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaochen Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, China.
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Li X, Li Y, Xiao J, Wang H, Guo Y, Mao X, Shi P, Hou Y, Zhang X, Zhao N, Zheng M, He Y, Ding J, Tan Y, Liao M, Li L, Peng Y, Li X, Pan Q, Xie Q, Li Q, Li J, Li Y, Chen Z, Huang Y, Assis DN, Cai SY, Boyer JL, Huang X, Tang CE, Liu X, Peng S, Chai J. Unique DUOX2 +ACE2 + small cholangiocytes are pathogenic targets for primary biliary cholangitis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:29. [PMID: 36759512 PMCID: PMC9911648 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34606-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocytes play a crucial role in bile formation. Cholangiocyte injury causes cholestasis, including primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). However, the etiology of PBC remains unclear despite being characterized as an autoimmune disease. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), fluorescence-activated-cell-sorting, multiplex immunofluorescence (IF) and RNAscope analyses, we identified unique DUOX2+ACE2+ small cholangiocytes in human and mouse livers. Their selective decrease in PBC patients was associated with the severity of disease. Moreover, proteomics, scRNA-seq, and qPCR analyses indicated that polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) was highly expressed in DUOX2+ACE2+ cholangiocytes. Serum anti-pIgR autoantibody levels were significantly increased in PBC patients, regardless of positive and negative AMA-M2. Spatial transcriptomics and multiplex IF revealed that CD27+ memory B and plasma cells accumulated in the hepatic portal tracts of PBC patients. Collectively, DUOX2+ACE2+ small cholangiocytes are pathogenic targets in PBC, and preservation of DUOX2+ACE2+ cholangiocytes and targeting anti-pIgR autoantibodies may be valuable strategies for therapeutic interventions in PBC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xi Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
- Department of Hematology, the Third Affiliated Hospital (Daping Hospital), Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, PR China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Jintao Xiao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China
| | - Huiwen Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
- Department of Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China
| | - Yan Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
- Department of Endocrinology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China
| | - Xiuru Mao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
- Department of Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China
| | - Pan Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Yanliang Hou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China
| | - Xiaoxun Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Nan Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Minghua Zheng
- MAFLD Research Center, Department of Hepatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, PR China
| | - Yonghong He
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Jingjing Ding
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Ya Tan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Min Liao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Ying Peng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Qiong Pan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Qiaoling Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Qiao Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Jianwei Li
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital), Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Ying Li
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital (Xinqiao Hospital), Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Zhe Chen
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital), Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - Yongxiu Huang
- Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital), Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China
| | - David N Assis
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Center, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Shi-Ying Cai
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Center, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - James L Boyer
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Center, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Xuequan Huang
- Center of Minimally Invasive Intervention, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital), Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China.
| | - Can-E Tang
- Institute of Medical Science Research, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China.
| | - Xiaowei Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China.
| | - Shifang Peng
- Department of Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China.
| | - Jin Chai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Digestive Diseases of PLA, Cholestatic Liver Diseases Certer, and Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital) to Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Arterburn JB, Prossnitz ER. G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor GPER: Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutic Applications. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2023; 63:295-320. [PMID: 36662583 PMCID: PMC10153636 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-031122-121944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The actions of estrogens and related estrogenic molecules are complex and multifaceted in both sexes. A wide array of natural, synthetic, and therapeutic molecules target pathways that produce and respond to estrogens. Multiple receptors promulgate these responses, including the classical estrogen receptors of the nuclear hormone receptor family (estrogen receptors α and β), which function largely as ligand-activated transcription factors, and the 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled estrogen receptor, GPER, which activates a diverse array of signaling pathways. The pharmacology and functional roles of GPER in physiology and disease reveal important roles in responses to both natural and synthetic estrogenic compounds in numerous physiological systems. These functions have implications in the treatment of myriad disease states, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders. This review focuses on the complex pharmacology of GPER and summarizes major physiological functions of GPER and the therapeutic implications and ongoing applications of GPER-targeted compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey B Arterburn
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA;
| | - Eric R Prossnitz
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA;
- Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism, and Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Jiao Y, Gao P, Dong L, Ding X, Meng Y, Qian J, Gao T, Wang R, Jiang T, Zhang Y, Kong D, Wu Y, Chen S, Xu S, Tang D, Luo P, Wu M, Meng L, Wen D, Wu C, Zhang G, Shi X, Yu W, Rong W. Molecular identification of bulbospinal ON neurons by GPER, which drives pain and morphine tolerance. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e154588. [PMID: 36346677 PMCID: PMC9797334 DOI: 10.1172/jci154588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) exerts bidirectional descending modulation of pain attributable to the activity of electrophysiologically identified pronociceptive ON and antinociceptive OFF neurons. Here, we report that GABAergic ON neurons specifically express G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER). GPER+ neurons exhibited characteristic ON-like responses upon peripheral nociceptive stimulation. Optogenetic activation of GPER+ neurons facilitated, but their ablation abrogated, pain. Furthermore, activation of GPER caused depolarization of ON cells, potentiated pain, and ameliorated morphine analgesia through desensitizing μ-type opioid receptor-mediated (MOR-mediated) activation of potassium currents. In contrast, genetic ablation or pharmacological blockade of GPER attenuated pain, enhanced morphine analgesia, and delayed the development of morphine tolerance in diverse preclinical pain models. Our data strongly indicate that GPER is a marker for GABAergic ON cells and illuminate the mechanisms underlying hormonal regulation of pain and analgesia, thus highlighting GPER as a promising target for the treatment of pain and opioid tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yingfu Jiao
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology and
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Po Gao
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology and
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Dong
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology and
| | | | - Youqiang Meng
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology and
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Chongming Branch, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences Affiliated Chongming Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Ting Gao
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology and
| | - Ruoxi Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunchun Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dexu Kong
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Sihan Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Saihong Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Luo
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology and
| | - Meimei Wu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology and
| | - Li Meng
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology and
| | - Daxiang Wen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Changhao Wu
- School of Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Xueyin Shi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weifeng Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weifang Rong
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology and
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Tongta S, Daendee S, Kalandakanond-Thongsong S. Effects of estrogen receptor β or G protein-coupled receptor 30 activation on anxiety-like behaviors in relation to GABAergic transmission in stress-ovariectomized rats. Neurosci Lett 2022; 789:136885. [PMID: 36152742 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
For mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, stress and stressful events are considered as precipitating causes that may be enhanced by estrogen variability. This condition is proven by the higher vulnerability of women than men. Despite the complexity of underlying mechanisms, the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system piques interest as its receptor contains multiple psychoactive modulatory sites including neurosteroids. Moreover, according to clinical and experimental reports, GABA-associated genes can be altered by stress and hormonal status. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) or G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) activation on anxiety/depression-like behaviors and the alterations in the GABA-associated gene of ovariectomized rats under chronic mild stress (CMS). Mild stressors were focused on because they represent a realistic simulation of daily life stress. In this study, ovariectomized rats were treated with vehicle, estradiol (E2), diarylpropionitrile (DPN; ERβ agonist) or G1 (GPR30 agonist) and exposed to 4-week CMS. The results showed that E2, DPN, and G1 treatments reduced anxiety-like behaviors without affecting depression-like behaviors. Concurrently, the GABA level and most GABA- and neurosteroid-associated mRNAs were altered by E2. Similar mRNA profiles were observed in DPN- and E2-administrations but not in G1 treatment. Collectively, these data suggest that estrogen exerts an anxiolytic-like action through either ERβ and/or GPR30 activation, and the modulatory effects of estrogen on GABAergic system are likely to be modulated through ERβ. The findings of this study therefore further provide insights into the roles of estrogen and daily mild stressors in GABA-related activity and behavioral responses, especially anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sushawadee Tongta
- Department of Veterinary Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Suwaporn Daendee
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Lagunas N, Fernández-García JM, Blanco N, Ballesta A, Carrillo B, Arevalo MA, Collado P, Pinos H, Grassi D. Organizational Effects of Estrogens and Androgens on Estrogen and Androgen Receptor Expression in Pituitary and Adrenal Glands in Adult Male and Female Rats. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:902218. [PMID: 35815333 PMCID: PMC9261283 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.902218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex steroid hormones, such as androgens and estrogens, are known to exert organizational action at perinatal periods and activational effects during adulthood on the brain and peripheral tissues. These organizational effects are essential for the establishment of biological axes responsible for regulating behaviors, such as reproduction, stress, and emotional responses. Estradiol (E2), testosterone, and their metabolites exert their biological action through genomic and non-genomic mechanisms, bounding to canonical receptors, such as estrogen receptor (ER)α, ERβ, and androgen receptor (AR) or membrane receptors, such as the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), respectively. Expression of ERs and AR was found to be different between males and females both in the brain and peripheral tissues, suggesting a sex-dependent regulation of their expression and function. Therefore, studying the ERs and AR distribution and expression levels is key to understand the central and peripheral role of sex steroids in the establishment of sex-specific behaviors in males and females. We investigated the organizational effects of estrogens and androgens in the pituitary and adrenal glands of adult male and female rats. For this, selective blockade of AR with flutamide or 5α-reductase with finasteride or aromatase with letrozole during the first 5 days of life has been performed in male and female pups and then quantification of ERs and AR expression in both glands has been carried out in adulthood. Data show that inhibition of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and E2 production during the first five postnatal days mainly decreases the ER expression in male to female values and AR expression in female to male levels in the pituitary gland and increases AR expression in female to male levels in the adrenal gland. In contrast, blocking the action of androgens differentially modulates the ERs in males and females and decreases AR in both males and females in both glands. Altogether, the results suggest that neonatal modifications of the androgen and estrogen pathways can potentially lead to permanent modifications of the neuroendocrine functions of the pituitary and adrenal glands in the adulthood of both sexes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Lagunas
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Manuel Fernández-García
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychology, Universidad Villanueva, Madrid, Spain
| | - Noemí Blanco
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Ballesta
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Biomedical Science and Health, European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Carrillo
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- University Institute of Research-UNED-Institute of Health Carlos III (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria-Angeles Arevalo
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Collado
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- University Institute of Research-UNED-Institute of Health Carlos III (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Helena Pinos
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- University Institute of Research-UNED-Institute of Health Carlos III (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniela Grassi
- Department of Psychobiology, National University of Distance Education, Madrid, Spain
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Daniela Grassi
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
G-Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor (GPER) in the Rostral Ventromedial Medulla Is Essential for Mobilizing Descending Inhibition of Itch. J Neurosci 2021; 41:7727-7741. [PMID: 34349001 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2592-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic itch is a troublesome condition and often difficult to cure. Emerging evidence suggests that the periaqueductal gray (PAG)-rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) pathway may play an important role in the regulation of itch, but the cellular organization and molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we report that a group of RVM neurons distinctively express the G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), which mediates descending inhibition of itch. We found that GPER+ neurons in the RVM were activated in chronic itch conditions in rats and mice. Selective ablation or chemogenetic suppression of RVM GPER+ neurons resulted in mechanical alloknesis and increased scratching in response to pruritogens, whereas chemogenetic activation of GPER+ neurons abrogated itch responses, indicating that GPER+ neurons are antipruritic. Moreover, GPER-deficient mice and rats of either sex exhibited hypersensitivity to mechanical and chemical itch, a phenotype reversible by the µ type opioid receptor (MOR) antagonism. Additionally, significant MOR phosphorylation in the RVM was detected in chronic itch models in wild-type but not in GPER-/- rats. Therefore, GPER not only identifies a population of medullary antipruritic neurons but may also determine the descending antipruritic tone through regulating µ opioid signaling.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Therapeutic options for itch are limited because of an as yet incomplete understanding of the mechanisms of itch processing. Our data have provided novel insights into the cellular organization and molecular mechanisms of descending regulation of itch in normal and pathologic conditions. GPER+ neurons (largely GABAergic) in the RVM are antipruritic neurons under tonic opioidergic inhibition, activation of GPER promotes phosphorylation of MOR and disinhibition of the antipruritic GPER+ neurons from inhibitory opioidergic inputs, and failure to mobilize GPER+ neurons may result in the exacerbation of itch. Our data also illuminate on some of the outstanding questions in the field, such as the mechanisms underlying sex bias in itch, pain, and opioid analgesia and the paradoxical effects of morphine on pain and itch.
Collapse
|
18
|
Pavlidi P, Kokras N, Dalla C. Antidepressants' effects on testosterone and estrogens: What do we know? Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 899:173998. [PMID: 33676942 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.173998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Various antidepressants are commonly used to treat depression and anxiety disorders, and sex differences have been identified in their efficacy and side effects. Steroids, such as estrogens and testosterone, both in the periphery and locally in the brain, are regarded as important modulators of these sex differences. This review presents published data from preclinical and clinical studies that measure testosterone and estrogen level changes during and/or after acute or chronic administration of different antidepressants. The majority of studies show an interaction between sex hormones and antidepressants on sexual function and behavior, or in depressive symptom alleviation. However, most of the studies omit to investigate antidepressants' effects on circulating levels of gonadal hormones. From data reviewed herein, it is evident that most antidepressants can influence testosterone and estrogen levels. Still, the evidence is conflicting with some studies showing an increase, others decrease or no effect. Most studies are conducted in male animals or humans, underscoring the importance of considering sex as an important variable in such investigations, especially as depression and anxiety disorders are more common in women than men. Therefore, research is needed to elucidate the extent to which antidepressants can influence both peripheral and brain levels of testosterone and estrogens, in males and females, and whether this impacts the effectiveness or side effects of antidepressants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pavlina Pavlidi
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Kokras
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; First Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Dalla
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Hwang WJ, Lee TY, Kim NS, Kwon JS. The Role of Estrogen Receptors and Their Signaling across Psychiatric Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010373. [PMID: 33396472 PMCID: PMC7794990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests estrogen and estrogen signaling pathway disturbances across psychiatric disorders. Estrogens are not only crucial in sexual maturation and reproduction but are also highly involved in a wide range of brain functions, such as cognition, memory, neurodevelopment, and neuroplasticity. To add more, the recent findings of its neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects have grown interested in investigating its potential therapeutic use to psychiatric disorders. In this review, we analyze the emerging literature on estrogen receptors and psychiatric disorders in cellular, preclinical, and clinical studies. Specifically, we discuss the contribution of estrogen receptor and estrogen signaling to cognition and neuroprotection via mediating multiple neural systems, such as dopaminergic, serotonergic, and glutamatergic systems. Then, we assess their disruptions and their potential implications for pathophysiologies in psychiatric disorders. Further, in this review, current treatment strategies involving estrogen and estrogen signaling are evaluated to suggest a future direction in identifying novel treatment strategies in psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wu Jeong Hwang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea; (W.J.H.); (J.S.K.)
| | - Tae Young Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea;
- Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-55-360-2468
| | - Nahrie Suk Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea;
| | - Jun Soo Kwon
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea; (W.J.H.); (J.S.K.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| |
Collapse
|