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King C, Rogers LG, Jansen J, Sivayokan B, Neyhard J, Warnes E, Hall SE, Plakke B. Adolescent treadmill exercise enhances hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and improves cognition in autism-modeled rats. Physiol Behav 2024; 284:114638. [PMID: 39004196 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114638] [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: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by repetitive behaviors and altered communication abilities. Exercise is a low-cost intervention that could improve cognitive function and improve brain plasticity mechanisms. Here, the valproic acid (VPA) model was utilized to induce ASD-like phenotypes in rodents. Animals were exercised on a treadmill and performance was evaluated on a cognitive flexibility task. Biomarkers related to exercise and plasticity regulation were quantified from the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and skeletal muscle. Exercised VPA animals had higher levels of hippocampal BDNF compared to sedentary VPA animals and upregulated antioxidant enzyme expression in skeletal muscle. Cognitive improvements were demonstrated in both sexes, but in different domains of cognitive flexibility. This research demonstrates the benefits of exercise and provides evidence that molecular responses to exercise occur in both the central nervous system and in the periphery. These results suggest that improving regulation of BDNF via exercise, even at low intensity, could provide better synaptic regulation and cognitive benefits for individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cole King
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Liza G Rogers
- Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Jeremy Jansen
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Bhavana Sivayokan
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Jenna Neyhard
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Ellie Warnes
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Stephanie E Hall
- Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Bethany Plakke
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
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2
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Sivayokan B, King C, Mali I, Payne M, Strating H, Warnes E, Bossmann SH, Plakke B. Aerobic exercise improves cognitive flexibility and modulates regional volume changes in a rat model of autism. Behav Brain Res 2024; 471:115136. [PMID: 38971431 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115136] [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: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Gestational exposure to valproic acid (VPA) is a risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Rodents exposed to VPA in utero display common features of ASD, including volumetric dysregulation in higher-order cognitive regions like the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and the hippocampus. Exercise has been shown in elderly populations to boost cognition and to buffer against brain volume losses with age. This study employed an adolescent treadmill exercise intervention to facilitate cognitive flexibility and regional brain volume regulation in rats exposed to VPA during gestation. It was found that exercise improved performance on extra-dimensional shifts of attention on a set-shifting task, which is indicative of improved cognitive flexibility. Exercise decreased frontal cortex volume in females, whereas in males exercise increased the ventral hippocampus. These findings suggest that aerobic exercise may be an effective intervention to counteract the altered development of prefrontal and hippocampal regions often observed in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavana Sivayokan
- Kansas State University, Psychological Sciences, 1114 Mid-Campus Dr. N, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
| | - Cole King
- Kansas State University, Psychological Sciences, 1114 Mid-Campus Dr. N, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
| | - Ivina Mali
- Kansas State University, Department of Chemistry, 1212 Mid-Campus Dr. N, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
| | - Macy Payne
- Kansas State University, Department of Chemistry, 1212 Mid-Campus Dr. N, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
| | - Hunter Strating
- Kansas State University, Psychological Sciences, 1114 Mid-Campus Dr. N, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
| | - Ellie Warnes
- Kansas State University, Psychological Sciences, 1114 Mid-Campus Dr. N, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
| | - Stefan H Bossmann
- Kansas State University, Department of Chemistry, 1212 Mid-Campus Dr. N, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
| | - Bethany Plakke
- Kansas State University, Psychological Sciences, 1114 Mid-Campus Dr. N, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States.
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Gonzalez K, Merlin AC, Roye E, Ju B, Lee Y, Chicco AJ, Chung E. Voluntary Wheel Running Reduces Cardiometabolic Risks in Female Offspring Exposed to Lifelong High-Fat, High-Sucrose Diet. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2024; 56:1378-1389. [PMID: 38595204 PMCID: PMC11250925 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000003443] [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] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Maternal and postnatal overnutrition has been linked to an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases in offspring. This study investigated the impact of adult-onset voluntary wheel running to counteract cardiometabolic risks in female offspring exposed to a life-long high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet. METHODS Dams were fed either an HFHS or a low-fat, low-sucrose (LFLS) diet starting from 8 wk before pregnancy and continuing throughout gestation and lactation. Offspring followed their mothers' diets. At 15 wk of age, they were divided into sedentary (Sed) or voluntary wheel running (Ex) groups, resulting in four groups: LFLS/Sed ( n = 10), LFLS/Ex ( n = 5), HFHS/Sed ( n = 6), HFHS/Ex ( n = 5). Cardiac function was assessed at 25 wk, with tissue collection at 26 wk for mitochondrial respiratory function and protein analysis. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA. RESULTS Although maternal HFHS diet did not affect the offspring's body weight at weaning, continuous HFHS feeding postweaning resulted in increased body weight and adiposity, irrespective of the exercise regimen. HFHS/Sed offspring showed increased left ventricular wall thickness and elevated expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid transport (CD36, FABP3), lipogenesis (DGAT), glucose transport (GLUT4), oxidative stress (protein carbonyls, nitrotyrosine), and early senescence markers (p16, p21). Their cardiac mitochondria displayed lower oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) efficiency and reduced expression of OXPHOS complexes and fatty acid metabolism enzymes (ACSL5, CPT1B). However, HFHS/Ex offspring mitigated these effects, aligning more with LFLS/Sed offspring. CONCLUSIONS Adult-onset voluntary wheel running effectively counteracts the detrimental cardiac effects of a lifelong HFHS diet, improving mitochondrial efficiency, reducing oxidative stress, and preventing early senescence. This underscores the significant role of physical activity in mitigating diet-induced cardiometabolic risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kassandra Gonzalez
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | - Andrea Chiñas Merlin
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
- Biomedical Engineering, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, MEXICO
| | - Erin Roye
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | - Beomsoo Ju
- Molecular and Cellular Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Movement Sciences and Health, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
| | - Youngil Lee
- Molecular and Cellular Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Movement Sciences and Health, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
| | - Adam J. Chicco
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Eunhee Chung
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
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Schaer R, Mueller FS, Notter T, Weber-Stadlbauer U, Meyer U. Intrauterine position effects in a mouse model of maternal immune activation. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 120:391-402. [PMID: 38897330 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.06.015] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Rodent models of maternal immune activation (MIA) are increasingly used as experimental tools in preclinical research of immune-mediated neurodevelopmental disorders and mental illnesses. Using a viral-like MIA model that is based on prenatal poly(I:C) exposure in mice, we have recently identified the existence of subgroups of MIA-exposed offspring that show dissociable behavioral, transcriptional, brain network and inflammatory profiles even under conditions of genetic homogeneity and identical MIA. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the intrauterine positions of fetuses, which are known to shape individual variability in litter-bearing mammals through variations in fetal hormone exposure, may contribute to the variable outcomes of MIA in mice. MIA was induced by maternal administration of poly(I:C) on gestation day 12 in C57BL/6N mice. Determining intrauterine positions using delivery by Cesarean section (C-section), we found that MIA-exposed offspring developing between female fetuses only (0M-MIA offspring) displayed significant deficits in sociability and sensorimotor gating at adult age, whereas MIA-exposed offspring developing between one or two males in utero (1/2M-MIA offspring) did not show the same deficits. These intrauterine position effects similarly emerged in male and female offspring. Furthermore, while MIA elevated fetal brain levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines independently of the precise intrauterine position and sex of adjacent fetuses during the acute phase, fetal brain levels of TNF-α remained elevated in 0M-MIA but not 1/2M-MIA offspring until the post-acute phase in late gestation. As expected, 1/2M offspring generally showed higher testosterone levels in the fetal brain during late gestation as compared to 0M offspring, confirming the transfer of testosterone from male fetuses to adjacent male or female fetuses. Taken together, our findings identify a novel source of within-litter variability contributing to heterogeneous outcomes of short- and long-term effects in a mouse model of MIA. In broader context, our findings highlight that individual differences in fetal exposure to hormonal and inflammatory signals may be a perinatal factor that shapes risk and resilience to MIA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ron Schaer
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Flavia S Mueller
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tina Notter
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Ahmad M, Kim J, Dwyer B, Sokoloff G, Blumberg MS. Coincident development and synchronization of sleep-dependent delta in the cortex and medulla. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2570-2579.e5. [PMID: 38772363 PMCID: PMC11187663 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.064] [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: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
In early development, active sleep is the predominant sleep state before it is supplanted by quiet sleep. In rats, the developmental increase in quiet sleep is accompanied by the sudden emergence of the cortical delta rhythm (0.5-4 Hz) around postnatal day 12 (P12). We sought to explain the emergence of the cortical delta by assessing developmental changes in the activity of the parafacial zone (PZ), a medullary structure thought to regulate quiet sleep in adults. We recorded from the PZ in P10 and P12 rats and predicted an age-related increase in neural activity during increasing periods of delta-rich cortical activity. Instead, during quiet sleep, we discovered sleep-dependent rhythmic spiking activity-with intervening periods of total silence-phase locked to a local delta rhythm. Moreover, PZ and cortical delta were coherent at P12 but not at P10. PZ delta was also phase locked to respiration, suggesting sleep-dependent modulation of PZ activity by respiratory pacemakers in the ventral medulla. Disconnecting the main olfactory bulbs from the cortex did not diminish cortical delta, indicating that the influence of respiration on delta at this age is not mediated indirectly through nasal breathing. Finally, we observed an increase in parvalbumin-expressing terminals in the PZ across these ages, supporting a role for local GABAergic inhibition in the PZ's rhythmicity. The unexpected discovery of delta-rhythmic neural activity in the medulla-when cortical delta is also emerging-provides a new perspective on the brainstem's role in regulating sleep and promoting long-range functional connectivity in early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Midha Ahmad
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Jangjin Kim
- Department of Psychology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Brett Dwyer
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Greta Sokoloff
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Mark S Blumberg
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
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6
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Schwartzer JJ, Church JS, Russo JN, Ragoonaden S. Offspring behavioral outcomes following maternal allergic asthma in the IL-4-deficient mouse. J Neuroimmunol 2024; 390:578341. [PMID: 38613873 PMCID: PMC11088503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2024.578341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Maternal allergic asthma (MAA) during pregnancy has been associated with increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in humans, and rodent studies have demonstrated that inducing a T helper-2-mediated allergic response during pregnancy leads to an offspring behavioral phenotype characterized by decreased social interaction and increased stereotypies. The interleukin (IL)-4 cytokine is hypothesized to mediate the neurobehavioral impact of MAA on offspring. Utilizing IL-4 knockout mice, this study assessed whether MAA without IL-4 signaling would still impart behavioral deficits. C57 and IL-4 knockout female mice were sensitized to ovalbumin, exposed to repeated MAA inductions, and their offspring performed social, cognitive, and motor tasks. Only C57 offspring of MAA dams displayed social and cognitive deficits, while IL-4 knockout mice showed altered motor activity compared with C57 mice. These findings highlight a key role for IL-4 signaling in MAA-induced behavioral deficits and more broadly in normal brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared J Schwartzer
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA.
| | - Jamie S Church
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
| | - Jenna N Russo
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
| | - Shanthini Ragoonaden
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
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7
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Richardson AM, Sokoloff G, Blumberg MS. Developmentally Unique Cerebellar Processing Prioritizes Self- over Other-Generated Movements. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2345232024. [PMID: 38589230 PMCID: PMC11079960 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2345-23.2024] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals must distinguish the sensory consequences of self-generated movements (reafference) from those of other-generated movements (exafference). Only self-generated movements entail the production of motor copies (i.e., corollary discharges), which are compared with reafference in the cerebellum to compute predictive or internal models of movement. Internal models emerge gradually over the first three postnatal weeks in rats through a process that is not yet fully understood. Previously, we demonstrated in postnatal day (P) 8 and P12 rats that precerebellar nuclei convey corollary discharge and reafference to the cerebellum during active (REM) sleep when pups produce limb twitches. Here, recording from a deep cerebellar nucleus (interpositus, IP) in P12 rats of both sexes, we compared reafferent and exafferent responses with twitches and limb stimulations, respectively. As expected, most IP units showed robust responses to twitches. However, in contrast with other sensory structures throughout the brain, relatively few IP units showed exafferent responses. Upon finding that exafferent responses occurred in pups under urethane anesthesia, we hypothesized that urethane inhibits cerebellar cortical cells, thereby disinhibiting exafferent responses in IP. In support of this hypothesis, ablating cortical tissue dorsal to IP mimicked the effects of urethane on exafference. Finally, the results suggest that twitch-related corollary discharge and reafference are conveyed simultaneously and in parallel to cerebellar cortex and IP. Based on these results, we propose that twitches provide opportunities for the nascent cerebellum to integrate somatotopically organized corollary discharge and reafference, thereby enabling the development of closed-loop circuits and, subsequently, internal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Richardson
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
| | - Greta Sokoloff
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
| | - Mark S Blumberg
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
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8
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Richardson AM, Sokoloff G, Blumberg MS. Developmentally unique cerebellar processing prioritizes self-over other-generated movements. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.16.571990. [PMID: 38168365 PMCID: PMC10760083 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.16.571990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Animals must distinguish the sensory consequences of self-generated movements (reafference) from those of other-generated movements (exafference). Only self-generated movements entail the production of motor copies (i.e., corollary discharges), which are compared with reafference in the cerebellum to compute predictive or internal models of movement. Internal models emerge gradually over the first three postnatal weeks in rats through a process that is not yet fully understood. Previously, we demonstrated in postnatal day (P) P8 and P12 rats that precerebellar nuclei convey corollary discharge and reafference to the cerebellum during active (REM) sleep when pups produce limb twitches. Here, recording from a deep cerebellar nucleus (interpositus, IP) in P12 rats of both sexes, we compared reafferent and exafferent responses to twitches and limb stimulations, respectively. As expected, most IP units showed robust responses to twitches. However, in contrast with other sensory structures throughout the brain, relatively few IP units showed exafferent responses. Upon finding that exafferent responses occurred in pups under urethane anesthesia, we hypothesized that urethane inhibits cerebellar cortical cells, thereby disinhibiting exafferent responses in IP. In support of this hypothesis, ablating cortical tissue dorsal to IP mimicked the effects of urethane on exafference. Finally, the results suggest that twitch-related corollary discharge and reafference are conveyed simultaneously and in parallel to cerebellar cortex and IP. Based on these results, we propose that twitches provide opportunities for the nascent cerebellum to integrate somatotopically organized corollary discharge and reafference, thereby enabling the development of closed-loop circuits and, subsequently, internal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M. Richardson
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, U.S.A
| | - Greta Sokoloff
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, U.S.A
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, U.S.A
| | - Mark S. Blumberg
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, U.S.A
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, U.S.A
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, U.S.A
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9
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Ahmad M, Kim J, Dwyer B, Sokoloff G, Blumberg MS. DELTA-RHYTHMIC ACTIVITY IN THE MEDULLA DEVELOPS COINCIDENT WITH CORTICAL DELTA IN SLEEPING INFANT RATS. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.16.572000. [PMID: 38168267 PMCID: PMC10760077 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.16.572000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
In early development, active sleep is the predominant sleep state before it is supplanted by quiet sleep. In rats, the developmental increase in quiet sleep is accompanied by the sudden emergence of the cortical delta rhythm (0.5-4 Hz) around postnatal day 12 (P12). We sought to explain the emergence of cortical delta by assessing developmental changes in the activity of the parafacial zone (PZ), a medullary structure thought to regulate quiet sleep in adults. We recorded from PZ in P10 and P12 rats and predicted an age-related increase in neural activity during increasing periods of delta-rich cortical activity. Instead, during quiet sleep we discovered sleep-dependent rhythmic spiking activity-with intervening periods of total silence-phase-locked to a local delta rhythm. Moreover, PZ and cortical delta were coherent at P12, but not at P10. PZ delta was also phase-locked to respiration, suggesting sleep-dependent modulation of PZ activity by respiratory pacemakers in the ventral medulla. Disconnecting the main olfactory bulbs from the cortex did not diminish cortical delta, indicating that the influence of respiration on delta at this age is not mediated indirectly through nasal breathing. Finally, we observed an increase in parvalbumin-expressing terminals in PZ across these ages, supporting a role for GABAergic inhibition in PZ's rhythmicity. The discovery of delta-rhythmic neural activity in the medulla-when cortical delta is also emerging-opens a new path to understanding the brainstem's role in regulating sleep and synchronizing rhythmic activity throughout the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Midha Ahmad
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Jangjin Kim
- Department of Psychology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Brett Dwyer
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Greta Sokoloff
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
| | - Mark S Blumberg
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
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10
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Sethi S, Friesen-Waldner LJ, Regnault TRH, McKenzie CA. Quantifying Brain Myelin Water Fraction in a Guinea Pig Model of Spontaneous Intrauterine Growth Restriction. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024. [PMID: 38445838 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is an obstetrical condition where a fetus has not achieved its genetic potential. A consequence of IUGR is a decrease in brain myelin content. Myelin water imaging (MWI) has been used to assess fetal myelin water fraction (MWF) and might potentially assess myelination changes associated with IUGR. PURPOSE To quantify and compare the MWF of non-IUGR and IUGR fetal guinea pigs (GPs) in late gestation. STUDY TYPE Prospective animal model. ANIMAL MODEL Dunkin-Hartley GP model of spontaneous IUGR (mean ± SD: 60 ± 1.2 days gestation; 19 IUGR, 52 control). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE Eight spoiled gradient-recalled (SPGR) gradient echo volumes (flip angles [α]: 2°-16°), and two sets of eight balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) gradient echo volumes (α: 8° - 64°), at 0° and 180° phase increments, at 3.0 T. ASSESSMENT MWF maps were generated for each fetal GP brain using multicomponent driven equilibrium single pulse observation of T1 /T2 (mcDESPOT). MWF was quantified in the fetal corpus callosum (CC), fornix (FOR), parasagittal white matter (PSW), and whole fetal brain. STATISTICAL TESTS Linear regression was performed between five fetal IUGR markers (body volume, body-to-pregnancy volume ratio, brain-to-liver volume ratio, brain-to-placenta volume ratio, and brain-to-body volume ratio) and MWF (coefficient of determination, R2 ). A t-test with a linear mixed model compared the MWF of non-IUGR and IUGR fetal GPs (significance was determined at α < 0.05). RESULTS The MWF of the control fetuses are (mean ± SD): 0.23 ± 0.02 (CC), 0.31 ± 0.02 (FOR), 0.28 ± 0.02 (PSW), and 0.20 ± 0.01 (whole brain). The MWF of the IUGR fetuses are (mean ± SD): 0.19 ± 0.02 (CC), 0.27 ± 0.01 (FOR), 0.24 ± 0.03 (PSW), and 0.16 ± 0.01 (whole brain). Significant differences in MWF were found between the non-IUGR and IUGR fetuses in every comparison. DATA CONCLUSION The mean MWF of IUGR fetal GPs is significantly lower than non-IUGR fetal GPs. EVIDENCE LEVEL 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simran Sethi
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Timothy R H Regnault
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Maternal, Fetal and Newborn Health, Children's Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles A McKenzie
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Maternal, Fetal and Newborn Health, Children's Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Ntoulas G, Brakatselos C, Nakas G, Asprogerakas MZ, Delis F, Leontiadis LJ, Trompoukis G, Papatheodoropoulos C, Gkikas D, Valakos D, Vatsellas G, Politis PK, Polissidis A, Antoniou K. Multi-level profiling of the Fmr1 KO rat unveils altered behavioral traits along with aberrant glutamatergic function. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:104. [PMID: 38378836 PMCID: PMC10879511 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02815-0] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common cause of inherited intellectual disabilities and the most prevalent monogenic cause of autism. Although the knockout (KO) of the Fmr1 gene homolog in mice is primarily used for elucidating the neurobiological substrate of FXS, there is limited association of the experimental data with the pathophysiological condition in humans. The use of Fmr1 KO rats offers additional translational validity in this regard. Therefore, we employed a multi-level approach to study the behavioral profile and the glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission status in pathophysiology-associated brain structures of Fmr1 KO rats, including the recordings of evoked and spontaneous field potentials from hippocampal slices, paralleled with next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). We found that these rats exhibit hyperactivity and cognitive deficits, along with characteristic bidirectional glutamatergic and GABAergic alterations in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. These results are coupled to affected excitability and local inhibitory processes in the hippocampus, along with a specific transcriptional profile, highlighting dysregulated hippocampal network activity in KO rats. Overall, our data provide novel insights concerning the biobehavioral profile of FmR1 KO rats and translationally upscales our understanding on pathophysiology and symptomatology of FXS syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Ntoulas
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Charalampos Brakatselos
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Gerasimos Nakas
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Michail-Zois Asprogerakas
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Foteini Delis
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Leonidas J Leontiadis
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion, Greece
| | - George Trompoukis
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion, Greece
| | | | - Dimitrios Gkikas
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Valakos
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Giannis Vatsellas
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis K Politis
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Alexia Polissidis
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
- Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina Antoniou
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
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12
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Gillespie B, Panthi S, Sundram S, Hill RA. The impact of maternal immune activation on GABAergic interneuron development: A systematic review of rodent studies and their translational implications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 156:105488. [PMID: 38042358 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105488] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Mothers exposed to infections during pregnancy disproportionally birth children who develop autism and schizophrenia, disorders associated with altered GABAergic function. The maternal immune activation (MIA) model recapitulates this risk factor, with many studies also reporting disruptions to GABAergic interneuron expression, protein, cellular density and function. However, it is unclear if there are species, sex, age, region, or GABAergic subtype specific vulnerabilities to MIA. Furthermore, to fully comprehend the impact of MIA on the GABAergic system a synthesised account of molecular, cellular, electrophysiological and behavioural findings was required. To this end we conducted a systematic review of GABAergic interneuron changes in the MIA model, focusing on the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. We reviewed 102 articles that revealed robust changes in a number of GABAergic markers that present as gestationally-specific, region-specific and sometimes sex-specific. Disruptions to GABAergic markers coincided with distinct behavioural phenotypes, including memory, sensorimotor gating, anxiety, and sociability. Findings suggest the MIA model is a valid tool for testing novel therapeutics designed to recover GABAergic function and associated behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Gillespie
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Sandesh Panthi
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Suresh Sundram
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Rachel A Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia.
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13
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Edgar KS, Cunning C, Gardiner TA, McDonald DM. BH4 supplementation reduces retinal cell death in ischaemic retinopathy. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21292. [PMID: 38042898 PMCID: PMC10693630 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48167-5] [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: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of nitric oxide (NO) production can cause ischaemic retinal injury and result in blindness. How this dysregulation occurs is poorly understood but thought to be due to an impairment in NO synthase function (NOS) and nitro-oxidative stress. Here we investigated the possibility of correcting this defective NOS activity by supplementation with the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin, BH4. Retinal ischaemia was examined using the oxygen-induced retinopathy model and BH4 deficient Hph-1 mice used to establish the relationship between NOS activity and BH4. Mice were treated with the stable BH4 precursor sepiapterin at the onset of hypoxia and their retinas assessed 48 h later. HPLC analysis confirmed elevated BH4 levels in all sepiapterin supplemented groups and increased NOS activity. Sepiapterin treatment caused a significant decrease in neuronal cell death in the inner nuclear layer that was most notable in WT animals and was associated with significantly diminished superoxide and local peroxynitrite formation. Interestingly, sepiapterin also increased inflammatory cytokine levels but not microglia cell number. BH4 supplementation by sepiapterin improved both redox state and neuronal survival during retinal ischaemia, in spite of a paradoxical increase in inflammatory cytokines. This implicates nitro-oxidative stress in retinal neurones as the cytotoxic element in ischaemia, rather than enhanced pro-inflammatory signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin S Edgar
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Ciara Cunning
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Tom A Gardiner
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Biomedical Sciences Education, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Denise M McDonald
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, BT9 7BL, UK.
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14
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van der Merwe R, Nadel J, Copes-Finke D, Pawelko S, Scott J, Ghanem M, Fox M, Morehouse C, McLaughlin R, Maddox C, Albert-Lyons R, Malaki G, Groce V, Turocy A, Aggadi N, Jin X, Howard C. Characterization of striatal dopamine projections across striatal subregions in behavioral flexibility. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:4466-4486. [PMID: 36617434 PMCID: PMC10329096 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15910] [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: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Behavioural flexibility is key to survival in a dynamic environmentWhile flexible, goal-directed behaviours are initially dependent on dorsomedial striatum, they become dependent on lateral striatum as behaviours become inflexible. Similarly, lesions of dopamine terminals in lateral striatum disrupt the development of inflexible habits. This work suggests that dopamine release in lateral striatum may drive inflexible behaviours, though few studies have investigated a causative role of subpopulations of striatal dopamine terminals in reversal learning, a measure of flexibility. Here, we performed two optogenetic experiments to activate dopamine terminals in dorsomedial (DMS), dorsolateral (DLS) or ventral (nucleus accumbens [NAc]) striatum in DAT-Cre mice that expressed channelrhodopsin-2 via viral injection (Experiment I) or through transgenic breeding with an Ai32 reporter line (Experiment II) to determine how specific dopamine subpopulations impact reversal learning. Mice performed a reversal task in which they self-stimulated DMS, DLS, or NAc dopamine terminals by pressing one of two levers before action-outcome lever contingencies were reversed. Largely consistent with presumed ventromedial/lateral striatal function, we found that mice self-stimulating medial dopamine terminals reversed lever preference following contingency reversal, while mice self-stimulating NAc showed parial flexibility, and DLS self-stimulation resulted in impaired reversal. Impairments in DLS mice were characterized by more regressive errors and reliance on lose-stay strategies following reversal, as well as reduced within-session learning, suggesting reward insensitivity and overreliance on previously learned actions. This study supports a model of striatal function in which DMS and ventral dopamine facilitate goal-directed responding, and DLS dopamine supports more inflexible responding.
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Affiliation(s)
- R.K. van der Merwe
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - J.A. Nadel
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
- Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (NUIN), Evanston, IL, USA
| | - D. Copes-Finke
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - S. Pawelko
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - J.S. Scott
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - M. Ghanem
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - M. Fox
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - C. Morehouse
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - R. McLaughlin
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - C. Maddox
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - R. Albert-Lyons
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - G. Malaki
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - V. Groce
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - A. Turocy
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - N. Aggadi
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
| | - X. Jin
- Center for Motor Control and Disease, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
- NYU–ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - C.D. Howard
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 173 Lorain St., Oberlin, OH, USA
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15
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Tamayo JM, Osman HC, Schwartzer JJ, Pinkerton KE, Ashwood P. Characterizing the neuroimmune environment of offspring in a novel model of maternal allergic asthma and particulate matter exposure. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:252. [PMID: 37919762 PMCID: PMC10621097 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02930-7] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammation during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). Increased gestational inflammation can be a result of an immune condition/disease, exposure to infection, and/or environmental factors. Epidemiology studies suggest that cases of NDD are on the rise. Similarly, rates of asthma are increasing, and the presence of maternal asthma during pregnancy increases the likelihood of a child being later diagnosed with NDD such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Particulate matter (PM), via air pollution, is an environmental factor known to worsen the symptoms of asthma, but also, PM has been associated with increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders. Despite the links between asthma and PM with neuropsychiatric disorders, there is a lack of laboratory models investigating combined prenatal exposure to asthma and PM on offspring neurodevelopment. Thus, we developed a novel mouse model that combines exposure to maternal allergic asthma (MAA) and ultrafine iron-soot (UIS), a common component of PM. In the current study, female BALB/c mice were sensitized for allergic asthma with ovalbumin (OVA) prior to pregnancy. Following mating and beginning on gestational day 2 (GD2), dams were exposed to either aerosolized OVA to induce allergic asthma or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for 1 h. Following the 1-h exposure, pregnant females were then exposed to UIS with a size distribution of 55 to 169 nm at an average concentration of 176 ± 45 μg/m3) (SD), or clean air for 4 h, over 8 exposure sessions. Offspring brains were collected at postnatal days (P)15 and (P)35. Cortices and hippocampal regions were then isolated and assessed for changes in cytokines using a Luminex bead-based multiplex assay. Analyses identified changes in many cytokines across treatment groups at both timepoints in the cortex, including interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and IL-17, which remained elevated from P15 to P35 in all treatment conditions compared to controls. There was a suppressive effect of the combined MAA plus UIS on the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Potentially shifting the cytokine balance towards more neuroinflammation. In the hippocampus at P15, elevations in cytokines were also identified across the treatment groups, namely IL-7. The combination of MAA and UIS exposure (MAA-UIS) during pregnancy resulted in an increase in microglia density in the hippocampus of offspring, as identified by IBA-1 staining. Together, these data indicate that exposure to MAA, UIS, and MAA-UIS result in changes in the neuroimmune environment of offspring that persist into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan M Tamayo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and the M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California at Davis, 2805, 50th Street Sacramento, Davis, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Hadley C Osman
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and the M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California at Davis, 2805, 50th Street Sacramento, Davis, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Jared J Schwartzer
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA, 01075, USA
| | - Kent E Pinkerton
- Center for Health and the Environment, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Paul Ashwood
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and the M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California at Davis, 2805, 50th Street Sacramento, Davis, CA, 95817, USA.
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16
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Xi C, Shi X, Wang Y, He J, Jiang S, Niu B, Chen Y, Zhao F, Cao Z. Influence of bifenthrin exposure at different gestational stages on the neural development. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 263:115365. [PMID: 37597292 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115365] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Perinatal exposure to bifenthrin (BF) alters neurodevelopment. However, the most susceptible time period to BF exposure and the possible mechanisms are not clear. In the current study, pregnant female mice were treated with BF (0.5 mg/kg/d) at three different stages [gestational day (GD) 0-5, 6-15 and 16-birth (B)] and neurologic deficits were evaluated in offspring mice. BF exposure at GD 16-B significantly altered the locomotor activity and caused learning and memory impairments in 6-week-old offspring. Gestational BF exposure also caused neuronal loss in the region of cornu ammonis of hippocampi of 6-week-old offspring. Interestingly, neurobehavioral impairments and neuronal loss were not observed in offspring at 10-week-old. BF exposure at GD 16-B also decreased protein levels of VGluT1, NR1 and NR2A while increased the protein levels of NR2B and VGAT1, as well as the gene levels of Il-1β, Il-6 and Tnf-α in hippocampi of 6-week-old offspring. Collectively, these data demonstrate that gestational exposure to a low dose BF causes neurodevelopmental deficits that remit with the age and the late-stage of pregnancy is the most susceptible time window to BF exposure. Imbalance in excitatory/inhibitory neuronal transmission, altered expression levels of NMDA receptors and increased neural inflammation may be associated with BF prenatal exposure-triggered neurobehavioral impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuchu Xi
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Xiaoqian Shi
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Yujing Wang
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Jing He
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Shan Jiang
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Bo Niu
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Fang Zhao
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China.
| | - Zhengyu Cao
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China.
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17
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Mohan H, Nguyen J, MacKenzie B, Yee A, Laurette EY, Sanghvi T, Tejada O, Dontsova V, Leung KY, Goddard C, De Young T, Sled JG, Greene NDE, Copp AJ, Serghides L. Folate deficiency increases the incidence of dolutegravir-associated foetal defects in a mouse pregnancy model. EBioMedicine 2023; 95:104762. [PMID: 37586112 PMCID: PMC10450420 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104762] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dolutegravir (DTG) is a recommended first-line regimen for all people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Initial findings from Botswana, a country with no folate fortification program, showed an elevated prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs) with peri-conceptional exposure to DTG. Here we explore whether a low folate diet influences the risk of DTG-associated foetal anomalies in a mouse model. METHODS C57BL/6 mice fed a folate-deficient diet for 2 weeks, were mated and then randomly allocated to control (water), or 1xDTG (2.5 mg/kg), or 5xDTG (12.5 mg/kg) both administered orally with 50 mg/kg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 33.3 mg/kg emtricitabine. Treatment was administered once daily from gestational day (GD) 0.5 to sacrifice (GD15.5). Foetuses were assessed for gross anomalies. Maternal and foetal folate levels were quantified. FINDINGS 313 litters (103 control, 106 1xDTG, 104 5xDTG) were assessed. Viability, placental weight, and foetal weight did not differ between groups. NTDs were only observed in the DTG groups (litter rate: 0% control; 1.0% 1xDTG; 1.3% 5xDTG). Tail, abdominal wall, limb, craniofacial, and bleeding defects all occurred at higher rates in the DTG groups versus control. Compared with our previous findings on DTG usage in folate-replete mouse pregnancies, folate deficiency was associated with higher rates of several defects, including NTDs, but in the DTG groups only. We observed a severe left-right asymmetry phenotype that was more frequent in DTG groups than controls. INTERPRETATION Maternal folate deficiency may increase the risk for DTG-associated foetal defects. Periconceptional folic acid supplementation could be considered for women with HIV taking DTG during pregnancy, particularly in countries lacking folate fortification programs. FUNDING This project has been funded by Federal funds from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. HHSN275201800001I and award #R01HD104553. LS is supported by a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Maternal-Child Health and HIV. HM is supported by a Junior Investigator award from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haneesha Mohan
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica Nguyen
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ben MacKenzie
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Audrey Yee
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Evelyn Yukino Laurette
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tanvi Sanghvi
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Oscar Tejada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Valeriya Dontsova
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kit-Yi Leung
- Developmental Biology & Cancer Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cameron Goddard
- Mouse Imaging Center, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Taylor De Young
- Mouse Imaging Center, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - John G Sled
- Mouse Imaging Center, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicholas D E Greene
- Developmental Biology & Cancer Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew J Copp
- Developmental Biology & Cancer Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lena Serghides
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Immunology and Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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18
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Deng S, Xie R, Kong A, Luo Y, Li J, Chen M, Wang X, Gong H, Wang L, Fan X, Pan Q, Li D. Early-life stress contributes to depression-like behaviors in a two-hit mouse model. Behav Brain Res 2023; 452:114563. [PMID: 37406776 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114563] [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: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is a common psychological disorder with pathogenesis involving genetic and environmental interactions. Early life stress can adversely affect physical and emotional development and dramatically increase the risk for the development of depression and anxiety disorders. METHODS To examine potential early life stress driving risk for anxiety and depression, we used a two-hit developmental stress model,injecting poly(I: C) into neonatal mice on P2-P6 followed by peripubertal unpredictable stress in adolescence. RESULTS Our study shows that early-life and adolescent stress leads to anxiety and depression-related behavioral phenotypes in male mice. Early-life stress exacerbated depression-like behavior in mice following peripubertal unpredictable stress. We confirmed that early life stress might be involved in the decreased neuronal activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and might be involved in shaping behavioral phenotypes of animals. We found that increased microglia and neuroinflammation in the mPFC of two-hit mice and early life stress further boost microglia activation and inflammatory factors in the mPFC region of mice following adolescent stress. LIMITATIONS The specific neural circuits and mechanisms by which microglia regulate depression-like behaviors require further investigation. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide a novel insight into developmental risk factors and biological mechanisms in depression and anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilong Deng
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Ruxin Xie
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Anqi Kong
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Jianghui Li
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Mei Chen
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Xiaqing Wang
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Hong Gong
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Lian Wang
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Xiaotang Fan
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Qiangwen Pan
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
| | - Dabing Li
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
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19
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Tamayo JM, Osman HC, Schwartzer JJ, Pinkerton K, Ashwood P. Characterizing the Neuroimmune Environment of Offspring in a Novel Model of Maternal Allergic Asthma and Particulate Matter Exposure. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3140415. [PMID: 37503062 PMCID: PMC10371118 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3140415/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by the presence of decreased social interactions and an increase in stereotyped and repetitive behaviors. Epidemiology studies suggest that cases of ASD are on the rise. Similarly, rates of asthma are increasing, and the presence of maternal asthma during pregnancy increases the likelihood of a child being later diagnosed with ASD. Particulate matter (PM), via air pollution, is an environmental factor known to worsen the symptoms of asthma, but also, PM has been associated with increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders including ASD. Despite the links between asthma and PM with neuropsychiatric disorders, there is a lack of laboratory models investigating combined prenatal exposure to asthma and PM on offspring neurodevelopment. Thus, we developed a novel mouse model that combines exposure to maternal allergic asthma (MAA) and ultrafine iron-soot (UIS), a common component of PM. In the current study, female BALB/c mice were primed for allergic asthma with ovalbumin (OVA) prior to pregnancy. Following mating and beginning on gestational day 2 (GD2), dams were exposed to either aerosolized OVA or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for 1 hour. Following the 1-hour exposure, pregnant females were then exposed to UIS or clean air for 4 hours. Offspring brains were collected at postnatal days (P)15 and (P)35. Cortices and hippocampal regions were then isolated and assessed for changes in cytokines using a Luminex bead-based multiplex assay. Analyses identified changes in many cytokines across treatment groups at both timepoints in the cortex, including interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-2, IL-13, and IL-17, which remained elevated from P15 to P35 in all treatment conditions compared to controls. In the hippocampus at P15, elevations in cytokines were also identified across the treatment groups, namely interferon gamma (IFNγ) and IL-7. The combination of MAA and UIS exposure (MAA-UIS) during pregnancy resulted in an increase in microglia density in the hippocampus of offspring, as identified by IBA-1 staining. Together, these data indicate that exposure to MAA, UIS, and MAA-UIS result in changes in the neuroimmune environment of offspring that persist into adulthood.
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Arts JHE, Faulhammer F, Schneider S, Salverda JGW. Investigations on learning and memory function in extended one-generation reproductive toxicity studies - when considered needed and based on what? Crit Rev Toxicol 2023; 53:372-384. [PMID: 37540214 DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2023.2236134] [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: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
To justify investigations on learning and memory (L&M) function in extended one-generation reproductive toxicity studies (EOGRTS; Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) test guideline (TG) 443) for registration under Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemical (REACH), the European Chemicals Agency has referred to three publications based on which the Agency concluded that "perturbation of thyroid hormone signaling in offspring affects spatial cognitive abilities (learning and memory)" and "Therefore, it is necessary to conduct spatial learning and memory tests for F1 animals". In this paper, the inclusion of the requested L&M tests in an EOGRTS is challenged. In addition, next to the question on the validity of rodent models in general for testing thyroid hormone-dependent perturbations in brain development, the reliability of the publications specifically relied upon by the agency is questioned as these contain numerous fundamental errors in study methodology, design, and data reporting, provide contradicting results, lack crucial information to validate the results and exclude confounding factors, and finally show no causal relationship. Therefore, in our opinion, these publications cannot be used to substantiate, support, or conclude that decreases in blood thyroid (T4) hormone level on their own would result in impaired L&M in rats and are thus not adequate to use as fundament to ask for L&M testing as part of an EOGRTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josje H E Arts
- Nouryon Functional Chemicals B.V., Deventer, The Netherlands
| | - Frank Faulhammer
- GB Product Stewardship - Regulations, Toxicology and Ecology, BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany
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Tao Z, Chen Y, He F, Tang J, Zhan L, Hu H, Ding Z, Ruan S, Chen Y, Chen B, Wang Y, Guo X, Xie L, Zhong M, Huang Q. Alterations in the Gut Microbiome and Metabolisms in Pregnancies with Fetal Growth Restriction. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0007623. [PMID: 37199635 PMCID: PMC10269609 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00076-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetuses diagnosed with fetal growth restriction (FGR) are at an elevated risk of stillbirth and adulthood morbidity. Gut dysbiosis has emerged as one of the impacts of placental insufficiency, which is the main cause of FGR. This study aimed to characterize the relationships among the intestinal microbiome, metabolites, and FGR. Characterization was conducted on the gut microbiome, fecal metabolome, and human phenotypes in a cohort of 35 patients with FGR and 35 normal pregnancies (NP). The serum metabolome was analyzed in 19 patients with FGR and 31 normal pregnant women. Multidimensional data was integrated to reveal the links between data sets. A fecal microbiota transplantation mouse model was used to determine the effects of the intestinal microbiome on fetal growth and placental phenotypes. The diversity and composition of the gut microbiota were altered in patients with FGR. A group of microbial species altered in FGR closely correlated with fetal measurements and maternal clinical variables. Fecal and serum metabolism profiles were distinct in FGR patients compared to those in the NP group. Altered metabolites were identified and associated with clinical phenotypes. Integrated multi-omics analysis revealed the interactions among gut microbiota, metabolites, and clinical measurements. Microbiota from FGR gravida transplanted to mice progestationally induced FGR and placental dysfunction, including impaired spiral artery remodeling and insufficient trophoblast cell invasion. Taken together, the integration of microbiome and metabolite profiles from the human cohort indicates that patients with FGR endure gut dysbiosis and metabolic disorders, which contribute to disease pathogenesis. IMPORTANCE Downstream of the primary cause of fetal growth restriction are placental insufficiency and fetal malnutrition. Gut microbiota and metabolites appear to play an important role in the progression of gestation, while dysbiosis induces maternal and fetal complications. Our study elaborates the significant differences in microbiota profiles and metabolome characteristics between women with FGR and normal pregnancies. This is the first attempt so far that reveals the mechanistic links in multi-omics in FGR, providing a novel insight into host-microbe interaction in placenta-derived diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixin Tao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fang He
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiawei Tang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Limei Zhan
- Foshan Women and Children Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Haoyue Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ziling Ding
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shenghang Ruan
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yutao Chen
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Beier Chen
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoling Guo
- Foshan Women and Children Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Liwei Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Mei Zhong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qitao Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First People’s Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, China
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Switching from tobacco cigarettes in very early pregnancy: The effects of in utero e-cigarette exposure on mouse offspring neurodevelopment and behaviour. Physiol Behav 2023; 263:114118. [PMID: 36796533 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114118] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are often perceived to be safer than smoking, which has led to some women switching to e-cigarettes during pregnancy. However, the effects of switching from smoking to e-cigarettes on both pregnancy outcomes and the foetus are largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of switching from tobacco smoking to e-cigarette use in very early pregnancy on birth outcomes, neurodevelopment and behaviour of the offspring. METHODS Female BALB/c mice were exposed to cigarette smoke for up to two weeks before being mated. Mated dams were then allocated to one of four treatment groups: (i) continued exposure to cigarette smoke (ii) exposure to e-cigarette aerosol with nicotine, (iii) or without nicotine, or (iv) medical air. Pregnant mice were exposed for 2 h per day for the duration of pregnancy. Gestational outcomes including litter size and sex ratio were assessed, in addition to early-life markers of physical- and neuro- development. At 8 weeks of age, motor coordination, anxiety, locomotion, memory and learning of the adult offspring were assessed. RESULTS Gestational outcomes and early markers of physical- and neuro- development were unaffected by in utero exposure, as well as locomotion, anxiety-like behaviour, and object recognition memory during adulthood. However, both e-cigarette groups displayed increased spatial recognition memory compared to air exposed controls. Maternal exposure to nicotine containing e-cigarette aerosol was found to increase offspring bodyweight and impair motor skill learning. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest there may be some benefits as well as negative effects of switching to e-cigarettes in early pregnancy.
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Kim J, Kim J, Kwon YH. Leucine supplementation in maternal high-fat diet alleviated adiposity and glucose intolerance of adult mice offspring fed a postweaning high-fat diet. Lipids Health Dis 2023; 22:50. [PMID: 37061742 PMCID: PMC10105473 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-023-01812-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Combined maternal and postnatal high-fat (HF) diet intake predisposes offspring to metabolic dysregulation during adulthood. As the inhibitory effects of leucine consumption on obesity and metabolic disorders have been reported, the effects of maternal leucine supplementation on metabolic dysregulation in adult offspring were investigated. METHODS Female mice were exposed to a control (C) or HF diet, with or without leucine (L) supplementation (1.5%, w/v), 3 weeks before mating, during pregnancy, and during lactation (C, CL, HF, and HFL). Male offspring were exposed to an HF diet for 12 weeks after weaning (C/HF, CL/HF, HF/HF, and HFL/HF). Serum biochemical parameters were determined for both the dams and offspring. Oral glucose tolerance test and qRT-PCR analysis were used to investigate metabolic dysregulation in the offspring. RESULTS HFL dams exhibited higher relative adipose tissue weights than HF dams. Body weight, relative adipose tissue weight, and serum glucose levels were lower in the HFL/HF offspring than in the HF/HF offspring. Maternal leucine supplementation tended to alleviate glucose intolerance in the offspring of HF diet-fed dams. Additionally, mRNA levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a hepatokine associated with glucose homeostasis, were higher in HFL/HF offspring than in HF/HF offspring and were negatively correlated with adiposity and serum glucose levels. The mRNA levels of genes encoding a FGF21 receptor complex, Fgf receptor 1 and klotho β, and its downstream targets, proliferator-activated receptor-γ co-activator 1α and sirtuin 1, were higher in adipose tissues of the HFL/HF offspring than in those of the HF/HF offspring. Serum lipid peroxide levels were lower in HFL dams than in HF dams and positively correlated with body and adipose tissue weights of offspring. CONCLUSIONS Leucine supplementation in HF diet-fed dams, but not in control diet-fed dams, resulted in an anti-obesity phenotype accompanied by glucose homeostasis in male offspring challenged with postnatal HF feeding. Activation of FGF21 signaling in the adipose tissue of offspring may be responsible for these beneficial effects of leucine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhae Kim
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-Ro, Gwanak-Gu, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Juyoung Kim
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-Ro, Gwanak-Gu, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Young Hye Kwon
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-Ro, Gwanak-Gu, Seoul, 08826, Korea.
- Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
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Scopano MR, Jones HE, Stea SG, Freeman MZ, Grisel JE. Age, β-endorphin, and sex dependent effects of maternal separation on locomotor activity, anxiety-like behavior, and alcohol reward. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1155647. [PMID: 37091593 PMCID: PMC10113444 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1155647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionChildhood adversity is pervasive and linked to numerous disadvantages in adulthood, including physical health problems, mental illness, and substance use disorders. Initial sensitivity to the rewarding effects of alcohol predicts the risk of developing an alcohol use disorder, and may be linked to developmental stress. The opioid peptide β-endorphin (β-E) regulates the stress response and is also implicated in the risk for excessive alcohol consumption.MethodsWe explored the influence of β-E in an animal model of early life adversity using controlled maternal separation by evaluating changes in locomotor activity, anxiety-like behavior, and the initial rewarding effects of alcohol in a single exposure conditioned place preference paradigm in control C57BL/6J and β-E deficient β-E +/+ 0.129S2-Pomc tm1Low/J; β-E −/− mice. Maternal separation (MS) occurred for 3 h each day from post-natal days (PND) 5–18 in approximately half the subjects.ResultsMaternal interactions increased following the separation protocol equally in both genotypes. MS and control subjects were tested as adolescents (PND 26–32) or adults (PND 58–72); the effects of MS were generally more pronounced in older subjects. Adults were more active than adolescents in the open field, and MS decreased activity in adolescent mice but increased it in adults. The increase in adult activity as a result of early life stress depended on both β-E and sex. β-E also influenced the effect of maternal separation on anxiety-like behavior in the Elevated Plus Maze. MS promoted rewarding effects of alcohol in male β-E deficient mice of either age, but had no effect in other groups.DiscussionTaken together, these results suggest that the effects of MS develop over time and are β-E and sex dependent and may aid understanding of how individual differences influence the impact of adverse childhood experiences.
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25
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Examining litter specific variability in mice and its impact on neurodevelopmental studies. Neuroimage 2023; 269:119888. [PMID: 36681136 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119888] [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: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Our current understanding of litter variability in neurodevelopmental studies using mice may limit translation of neuroscientific findings. Higher variance of measures across litters than within, often termed intra-litter likeness, may be attributable to both pre- and postnatal environment. This study aimed to assess the litter-effect within behavioral assessments (2 timepoints) and anatomy using T1-weighted magnetic resonance images across 72 brain region volumes (4 timepoints) (36 C57bl/6J inbred mice; 7 litters: 19F/17M). Between-litter comparisons of brain and behavioral measures and their associations were evaluated using univariate and multivariate techniques. A power analysis using simulation methods was then performed on modeled neurodevelopment and to evaluate trade-offs between number-of-litters, number-of-mice-per-litter, and sample size. Our results show litter-specific developmental effects, from the adolescent period to adulthood for brain structure volumes and behaviors, and for their associations in adulthood. Our power simulation analysis suggests increasing the number-of-litters in experimental designs to achieve the smallest total sample size necessary for detecting different rates of change in specific brain regions. Our results demonstrate how litter-specific effects may influence development and that increasing the litters to the total sample size ratio should be strongly considered when designing neurodevelopmental studies.
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Barrett CE, Jiang M, O'Flaherty BG, Dias BG, Rainnie DG, Young LJ, Menigoz A. Early life exposure to high fructose diet induces metabolic dysregulation associated with sex-specific cognitive impairment in adolescent rats. J Nutr Biochem 2023; 114:109220. [PMID: 36435289 PMCID: PMC9992084 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2022.109220] [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: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of adolescent mental health disorders is on the rise. Epidemiological studies suggest that poor nutrition is a significant contributor to this public health crisis, specifically through exposure to high level of dietary sugar, including fructose, during critical periods of development. Previous studies have shown that elevated fructose exposure during adolescence disrupts mental health. Despite these data, it is currently unknown how fructose exposure, specifically during infancy, may impact adolescent mental health. We developed a rat experimental protocol to investigate the effects of fructose exposure during infancy on behavioral, cognitive and metabolic endpoints in adolescence. We found that exposing rats to high fructose from birth to weaning resulted in higher circulating glucose, insulin and leptin levels in adolescence. High fructose during infancy also increased bodyweight, disrupted metabolic homeostasis in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) as indicated by decreased activity of the cellular energy sensor AMPK, and impaired attention and impulsivity in a male-specific manner. This impaired attention observed in adolescent male rats following neonatal fructose exposure was partially rescued by viral-mediated, in vivo expression of a constitutively active form of AMPK in principal neurons of the BLA. Our results suggest that exposure to high level of fructose during infancy may impact adolescent mental health in a male-specific manner and that manipulation of AMPK activity may mitigate this impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E Barrett
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Megan Jiang
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Brendan G O'Flaherty
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Brian G Dias
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, California, USA; Division of Research on Children, Youth & Families, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Program, The Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Donald G Rainnie
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Larry J Young
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Aurelie Menigoz
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
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Eriksson P, Johansson N, Viberg H, Buratovic S, Fredriksson A. Perfluorinated chemicals (PFOA) can, by interacting with highly brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE 209) during a defined period of neonatal brain development, exacerbate neurobehavioural defects. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2023; 96:107150. [PMID: 36584763 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2022.107150] [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: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are ubiquitous persistent environmental compounds, present in humans and at higher levels in infants/children than in adults. This study shows that co-exposure to pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and 2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6,6'-decaBDE (PBDE 209) can significantly exacerbate developmental neurobehavioural defects. Neonatal male NMRI mice, 3 and 10 days old, were exposed perorally to PBDE 209 (1.4 or 8.0 μmol/kg bw), PFOA (1.4 or 14 μmol/kg bw), co-exposed to PBDE 209 and PFOA (at the given doses), or a vehicle (20% fat emulsion) and observed for spontaneous behaviour in a novel home environment when 2 and 4 months old. The behavioural defects observed included hyperactivity and reduced habituation indicating cognitive defects. This interaction appears most likely dependent on the presence of PBDE 209 and/or its metabolites together with PFOA, during a defined critical period of neonatal brain development, corresponding to the perinatal and newborn period in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Per Eriksson
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Niclas Johansson
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Henrik Viberg
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sonja Buratovic
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anders Fredriksson
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Gómez LJ, Dooley JC, Blumberg MS. Activity in developing prefrontal cortex is shaped by sleep and sensory experience. eLife 2023; 12:82103. [PMID: 36745108 PMCID: PMC9901933 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In developing rats, behavioral state exerts a profound modulatory influence on neural activity throughout the sensorimotor system, including primary motor cortex (M1). We hypothesized that similar state-dependent modulation occurs in prefrontal cortical areas with which M1 forms functional connections. Here, using 8- and 12-day-old rats cycling freely between sleep and wake, we record neural activity in M1, secondary motor cortex (M2), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). At both ages in all three areas, neural activity increased during active sleep (AS) compared with wake. Also, regardless of behavioral state, neural activity in all three areas increased during periods when limbs were moving. The movement-related activity in M2 and mPFC, like that in M1, is driven by sensory feedback. Our results, which diverge from those of previous studies using anesthetized pups, demonstrate that AS-dependent modulation and sensory responsivity extend to prefrontal cortex. These findings expand the range of possible factors shaping the activity-dependent development of higher-order cortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lex J Gómez
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - James C Dooley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,DeLTA Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - Mark S Blumberg
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,DeLTA Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States.,Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
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Mali I, Payne M, King C, Maze TR, Davison T, Challans B, Bossmann SH, Plakke B. Adolescent female valproic acid rats have impaired extra-dimensional shifts of attention and enlarged anterior cingulate cortices. Brain Res 2023; 1800:148199. [PMID: 36509128 PMCID: PMC9835202 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.148199] [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: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In order to develop better treatments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) it is critical to understand the developmental trajectory of the disorder and the accompanying brain changes. This study used the valproic acid (VPA) model to induce ASD-like symptoms in rodents. Prior studies have demonstrated that VPA animals are impaired on executive function tasks, paralleling results in humans with ASD. Here, VPA adolescent female rats were impaired on a set-shifting task and had enlarged frontal cortices compared to control females. The deficits observed in the VPA female rats mirrors results in females with ASD. In addition, adolescent VPA females with enlarged frontal cortices performed the worst across the entire task. These brain changes in adolescence are also found in adolescent humans with ASD. These novel findings highlight the importance of studying the brain at different developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivina Mali
- Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Macy Payne
- Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Cole King
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Tessa R Maze
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Taylor Davison
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Brandon Challans
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Stefan H Bossmann
- Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Bethany Plakke
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
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Harris SF, McBride SJ, Smith MV, Cunny HC, Shockley KR. Analysis of incidence data in developmental toxicity studies: Statistical tests to account for litter effects in fetal defect data. Birth Defects Res 2023; 115:327-337. [PMID: 36345811 PMCID: PMC9898081 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2120] [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: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND When analyzing fetal defect incidence in laboratory animal studies, correlation in responses within litters (i.e., litter effects) can lead to increased false-positive rates if litter effects are not incorporated into the analysis. Studies of fetal defects require analysis methods that are robust across a broad range of defect types, including those with zero or near-zero incidence rates in control groups. METHODS A simulation study compared power and false-positive rates for six approaches across a range of background defect rates and litter size distributions. Statistical methods evaluated included ignoring the litter effect as well as parametric and nonparametric approaches based on litter proportions, generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), the Rao-Scott Cochran-Armitage (RSCA) trend test, and a modification to the RSCA (mRSCA) introduced here to improve estimation at low background rates. These methods were also applied to a common and a rare defect from two prenatal developmental toxicology studies conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP). RESULTS At background defect rates of 1%, the mRSCA and parametric litter proportion methods provided gains in power over the nonparametric litter proportion method, the GLMM method, and the RSCA method. Simulations involving litter loss in high-dose groups showed loss of power for both litter proportion methods. CONCLUSIONS The mRSCA test developed here compares favorably with other litter-based approaches and is robust across a range of background defect rates and litter size distributions, making it a practical choice for prenatal developmental toxicology studies involving both common and rare fetal defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn F. Harris
- Social and Scientific Systems, Inc., A DLH Holdings Corporation Company, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sandra J. McBride
- Social and Scientific Systems, Inc., A DLH Holdings Corporation Company, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Marjolein V. Smith
- Social and Scientific Systems, Inc., A DLH Holdings Corporation Company, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Helen C. Cunny
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Keith R. Shockley
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Church JS, Bannish JAM, Adrian LA, Rojas Martinez K, Henshaw A, Schwartzer JJ. Serum short chain fatty acids mediate hippocampal BDNF and correlate with decreasing neuroinflammation following high pectin fiber diet in mice. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1134080. [PMID: 37123365 PMCID: PMC10130583 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1134080] [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: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Dietary components, such as prebiotic fiber, are known to impact brain chemistry via the gut-brain axis. In particular, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) generated from excessive soluble fiber consumption are thought to impact neuroimmune signaling and brain function through increased production of neurotropic factors. Given reports that high dietary fiber intake is associated with increased mental health and improved quality of life scores, we set out to identify whether changes in SCFA levels as a result of a high soluble fiber diet mediate hippocampal neuroinflammation and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in mice. Methods Adult male and female C57BL/6 mice were fed a 1-month high pectin fiber or cellulose-based control diet. Following 1 month of excessive pectin consumption, serum SCFAs were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and hippocampal cytokines and BDNF were assessed via multiplex magnetic bead immunoassay. Results Pectin-based fiber diet increased circulating acetic acid in both sexes, with no effect on propionic or butyric acid. In the hippocampus, a high fiber diet decreased TNFa, IL-1ß, IL-6, and IFNγ and increased BDNF levels. Furthermore, increased SCFA levels were inversely correlated with neuroinflammation in the hippocampus, with acetic acid revealed as a strong mediator of increased BDNF production. Conclusion Collectively, these findings highlight the beneficial effects of fiber-induced molecular changes in a brain region known to influence mood- and cognition-related behaviors. Dietary composition should be considered when developing mental health management plans for men and women with an emphasis on increasing soluble fiber intake.
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Hall MB, Willis DE, Rodriguez EL, Schwarz JM. Maternal immune activation as an epidemiological risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders: Considerations of timing, severity, individual differences, and sex in human and rodent studies. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1135559. [PMID: 37123361 PMCID: PMC10133487 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1135559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence suggests that one's risk of being diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD)-such as autism, ADHD, or schizophrenia-increases significantly if their mother had a viral or bacterial infection during the first or second trimester of pregnancy. Despite this well-known data, little is known about how developing neural systems are perturbed by events such as early-life immune activation. One theory is that the maternal immune response disrupts neural processes important for typical fetal and postnatal development, which can subsequently result in specific and overlapping behavioral phenotypes in offspring, characteristic of NDDs. As such, rodent models of maternal immune activation (MIA) have been useful in elucidating neural mechanisms that may become dysregulated by MIA. This review will start with an up-to-date and in-depth, critical summary of epidemiological data in humans, examining the association between different types of MIA and NDD outcomes in offspring. Thereafter, we will summarize common rodent models of MIA and discuss their relevance to the human epidemiological data. Finally, we will highlight other factors that may interact with or impact MIA and its associated risk for NDDs, and emphasize the importance for researchers to consider these when designing future human and rodent studies. These points to consider include: the sex of the offspring, the developmental timing of the immune challenge, and other factors that may contribute to individual variability in neural and behavioral responses to MIA, such as genetics, parental age, the gut microbiome, prenatal stress, and placental buffering.
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Wang AL, Micov VB, Kwarteng F, Wang R, Hausknecht KA, Oubraim S, Haj-Dahmane S, Shen RY. Prenatal ethanol exposure leads to persistent anxiety-like behavior during adulthood indicated by reduced horizontal and vertical exploratory behaviors. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1163575. [PMID: 37090801 PMCID: PMC10117440 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1163575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) caused by prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) consist of many cognitive/behavioral deficits. Studies have reported that PE leads to impairments of learning and memory, attention, executive function, and anxiety. Open field (OF) is a common behavioral model which offers comprehensive ethological information. Here, we analyzed multiple parameters of OF to examine anxiety behavior and habituation after PE. Material and Methods Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were gavaged twice/day with 0 or 3 g/kg/treatment ethanol (15% w/v) during gestational day (GD) 8-20, mimicking second-trimester heavy PE in humans. The control and PE adult offspring were subjected to OF task in different ambient light levels with or without acute stress. Results Prenatal ethanol exposure did not influence the overall locomotor activities or habituation in the OF. In lower ambient light, no PE effects could be detected. In higher ambient light, female PE rats showed less activities in the center zone, indicative of increased anxiety. Males show lower activities in the center zone only after acute stress. Rats spent <2% of the time in the center zone compared to >75% of the time in the corner zone where they engaged in frequent rearing activities (vertical exploration; exploratory rearing). Prenatal ethanol exposure led to lower rearing activities in the corner in both males and females. Acute stress masks the PE effects in males but not in females. Discussion The results support that heavy PE leads to persistent anxiety-like behavior during adulthood in both sexes. This conclusion is supported by using multiple parameters of exploratory behavior in the OF, including the rearing activities in the corner to reach reliable quantification of anxiety-like behavior.
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Rowe A. Recommendations to improve use and reporting of statistics in animal experiments. Lab Anim 2022:236772221140669. [DOI: 10.1177/00236772221140669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Flaws in experimental statistics are a major contributor to the poor reproducibility of animal experiments. Informed decisions about whether conclusions are justified requires clear reporting of experimental data and the statistical methods used to analyse them. When data are misinterpreted, manipulated or concealed to generate publications, it creates an illusion that chance observations are robust data which confirm the hypotheses presented. Attempts to reproduce and advance such observations can propagate large areas of irreproducible science. This hinders scientific progress, erodes public support for research, damages reputations and wastes resources. This review analyses and explains recommendations to improve use and reporting of statistics in animal experiments.
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Murkin JT, Amos HE, Brough DW, Turley KD. In Silico Modeling Demonstrates that User Variability During Tumor Measurement Can Affect In Vivo Therapeutic Efficacy Outcomes. Cancer Inform 2022; 21:11769351221139257. [PMCID: PMC9716635 DOI: 10.1177/11769351221139257] [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: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
User measurement bias during subcutaneous tumor measurement is a source of variation in preclinical in vivo studies. We investigated whether this user variability could impact efficacy study outcomes, in the form of the false negative result rate when comparing treated and control groups. Two tumor measurement methods were compared; calipers which rely on manual measurement, and an automatic 3D and thermal imaging device. Tumor growth curve data were used to create an in silico efficacy study with control and treated groups. Before applying user variability, treatment group tumor volumes were statistically different to the control group. Utilizing data collected from 15 different users across 9 in vivo studies, user measurement variability was computed for both methods and simulation was used to investigate its impact on the in silico study outcome. User variability produced a false negative result in 0.7% to 18.5% of simulated studies when using calipers, depending on treatment efficacy. When using an imaging device with lower user variability this was reduced to 0.0% to 2.6%, demonstrating that user variability impacts study outcomes and the ability to detect treatment effect. Reducing variability in efficacy studies can increase confidence in efficacy study outcomes without altering group sizes. By using a measurement device with lower user variability, the chance of missing a therapeutic effect can be reduced and time and resources spent pursuing false results could be saved. This improvement in data quality is of particular interest in discovery and dosing studies, where being able to detect small differences between groups is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake T Murkin
- Jake T Murkin, Fuel3D, BioVolume Ltd, 16c Worcester Place, Oxford, OX1 2JW, UK.
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Genetic ablation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 in rats results in an autism-like behavioral phenotype. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275937. [PMCID: PMC9668160 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in communication, and social skills, as well as repetitive and/or restrictive interests and behaviors. The severity of ASD varies from mild to severe, drastically interfering with the quality of life of affected individuals. The current occurrence of ASD in the United States is about 1 in 44 children. The precise pathophysiology of ASD is still unknown, but it is believed that ASD is heterogeneous and can arise due to genetic etiology. Although various genes have been implicated in predisposition to ASD, metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) is one of the most common downstream targets, which may be involved in autism. mGluR5 signaling has been shown to play a crucial role in neurodevelopment and neural transmission making it a very attractive target for understanding the pathogenesis of ASD. In the present study, we determined the effect of genetic ablation of mGluR5 (Grm5) on an ASD-like phenotype using a rat model to better understand the role of mGluR5 signaling in behavior patterns and clinical manifestations of ASD. We observed that mGluR5 Ko rats exhibited exaggerated self-grooming and increased marble burying, as well as deficits in social novelty. Our results suggest that mGluR5 Ko rats demonstrate an ASD-like phenotype, specifically impaired social interaction as well as repetitive and anxiety-like behavior, which are correlates of behavior symptoms observed in individuals with ASD. The mGluR5 Ko rat model characterized in this study may be explored to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying ASD and for developing effective therapeutic modalities.
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37
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Di Gesù CM, Matz LM, Bolding IJ, Fultz R, Hoffman KL, Marino Gammazza A, Petrosino JF, Buffington SA. Maternal gut microbiota mediate intergenerational effects of high-fat diet on descendant social behavior. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111461. [PMID: 36223744 PMCID: PMC9597666 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysbiosis of the maternal gut microbiome during pregnancy is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. We previously showed that maternal high-fat diet (MHFD) in mice induces gut dysbiosis, social dysfunction, and underlying synaptic plasticity deficits in male offspring (F1). Here, we reason that, if HFD-mediated changes in maternal gut microbiota drive offspring social deficits, then MHFD-induced dysbiosis in F1 female MHFD offspring would likewise impair F2 social behavior. Metataxonomic sequencing reveals reduced microbial richness among female F1 MHFD offspring. Despite recovery of microbial richness among MHFD-descendant F2 mice, they display social dysfunction. Post-weaning Limosilactobacillus reuteri treatment increases the abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing taxa and rescues MHFD-descendant F2 social deficits. L. reuteri exerts a sexually dimorphic impact on gut microbiota configuration, increasing discriminant taxa between female cohorts. Collectively, these results show multigenerational impacts of HFD-induced dysbiosis in the maternal lineage and highlight the potential of maternal microbiome-targeted interventions for neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia M. Di Gesù
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA,Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy,Current address: Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston,These authors contributed equally
| | - Lisa M. Matz
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA,These authors contributed equally
| | - Ian J. Bolding
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Robert Fultz
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Kristi L. Hoffman
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Antonella Marino Gammazza
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Joseph F. Petrosino
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shelly A. Buffington
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA,Sealy Center for Microbiome Research, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA,Lead contact,Correspondence:
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Podgorac J, Sekulić S, Petković B, Stojadinović G, Martać L, Pešić V. The influence of continuous prenatal exposure to valproic acid on physical, nociceptive, emotional and psychomotor responses during adolescence in mice: Dose-related effects within sexes. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:982811. [PMID: 36248030 PMCID: PMC9557044 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.982811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical findings show that the use of valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects and autism spectrum disorder in offspring. Although there is a consensus that monitoring of potential long-term outcomes of VPA exposure is needed, especially in undiagnosed individuals, preclinical studies addressing this issue are rare. The present study examined the effects of continuous intrauterine exposure to a wide dose range of VPA (50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day) on the physical and behavioral response in peripubertal mice as a rodent model of adolescence. Body weight and the hot plate test [on postnatal days (PND) 25 and 32], the elevated plus-maze test (on PND35), and the open field test (on PND40) served to examine physical growth, the supraspinal reflex response to a painful thermal stimulus and conditional learning, anxiety-like/risk-assessment behavior, as well as novelty-induced psychomotor activity, respectively. VPA exposure produced the following responses: (i) a negative effect on body weight, except for the dose of 100 mg/kg/day in both sexes; (ii) an increase in the percentage of animals that responded to the thermal stimulus above the defined cut-off time interval and the response latency in both sexes; (iii) dose-specific changes within sexes in behavior provoked by a novel anxiogenic environment, i.e., in females less anxiety-like/risk-assessment behavior in response to the lowest exposure dose, and in males more pronounced anxiety-like/risk-assessment behavior after exposure to the highest dose and 100 mg/kg/day; (iv) dose-specific changes within sexes in novelty-induced psychomotor activity, i.e., in females a decrease in stereotypy-like activity along with an increase in rearing, and in males a decrease in stereotypy-like activity only. These findings show that continuous intrauterine exposure to VPA produces maladaptive functioning in different behavioral domains in adolescence and that the consequences are delicate to assess as they are dose-related within sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Podgorac
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” – National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Slobodan Sekulić
- Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Branka Petković
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” – National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Gordana Stojadinović
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” – National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ljiljana Martać
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” – National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vesna Pešić
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” – National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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Fragmented day-night cycle induces reduced light avoidance, excessive weight gain during early development, and binge-like eating during adulthood in mice. Physiol Behav 2022; 253:113851. [PMID: 35609722 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113851] [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: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Fragmented day-night (FDN) cycles are environments in which multiple periods of light and dark alternate across a 24 h period. Exposure to FDN cycles disrupts circadian rhythms, resulting in period lengthening and alterations to mood in mice. A constant light environment, which also induces period lengthening, is linked to mood and metabolic disturbances and disruption to the development of the circadian clock. This study aims to determine how exposure to the FDN cycle impacts development in mice, with the hypothesis that there would be similar and adverse effects as observed in constant light conditions. Our study used CD-1 mice reared under the FDN cycle compared to the commonly used 12 h light: 12 h dark consolidated day-night cycle. During the first week of development, mouse pups reared under the FDN cycle gained bodyweight at a faster rate and did not avoid aberrant light exposure in comparison to 12:12 LD reared mouse pups. Developmental exposure to the FDN cycle lasted two weeks, and then mice were transferred to the 12:12 LD cycle, where after 2 weeks, bodyweight was similar between FDN reared and 12:12 LD reared mice at 1-month and 2-months old. When re-exposed to the FDN cycle during adulthood, FDN reared pups exhibited binge-like eating behaviors and reduced light avoidance. This study shows that the unnatural distribution of light and dark across the 24 h day can cause disruptions during early development that can reappear during adulthood when placed in the same stressful light-dark environment as adults.
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40
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Prendergast K, McAllister AK. Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using Poly(I:C) to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring. J Vis Exp 2022:10.3791/64095. [PMID: 36063000 PMCID: PMC9933952 DOI: 10.3791/64095] [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] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy is consistently linked to increased risk of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders in offspring. Animal models of MIA are used to test causality, investigate mechanisms, and develop diagnostics and treatments for these disorders. Despite their widespread use, many MIA models suffer from a lack of reproducibility and almost all ignore two important aspects of this risk factor: (i) many offspring are resilient to MIA, and (ii) susceptible offspring can exhibit distinct combinations of phenotypes. To increase reproducibility and model both susceptibility and resilience to MIA, the baseline immunoreactivity (BIR) of female mice before pregnancy is used to predict which pregnancies will result in either resilient offspring or offspring with defined behavioral and molecular abnormalities after exposure to MIA. Here, a detailed method of inducing MIA via intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of the double stranded RNA (dsRNA) viral mimic poly(I:C) at 12.5 days of gestation is provided. This method induces an acute inflammatory response in the dam, which results in perturbations in brain development in mice that map onto similarly impacted domains in human psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).
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Tamayo JM, Rose D, Church JS, Schwartzer JJ, Ashwood P. Maternal Allergic Asthma Induces Prenatal Neuroinflammation. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12081041. [PMID: 36009104 PMCID: PMC9405898 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12081041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a class of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interactions and communication skills and repetitive or stereotyped behaviors. Rates of ASD diagnosis continue to rise, with current estimates at 1 in 44 children in the US (Maenner 2021). Epidemiological studies have suggested a link between maternal allergic asthma and an increased likelihood of having a child diagnosed with ASD. However, a lack of robust laboratory models prevents mechanistic research from being carried out. We developed a novel mouse model of maternal asthma-allergy (MAA) and previously reported that offspring from these mothers exhibit behavioral deficits compared to controls. In addition, it was shown that epigenetic regulation of gene expression in microglia was altered in these offspring, including several autism candidate genes. To further elucidate if there is neuroinflammation in the fetus following MAA, we investigated how allergic asthma impacts the maternal environment and inflammatory markers in the placenta and fetal brain during gestation. Female C57Bl/6 mice were primed with ovalbumin (OVA) prior to allergic asthma induction during pregnancy by administering aerosolized ovalbumin or PBS control to pregnant dams at gestational days (GD)9.5, 12.5, and 17.5. Four hours after the final induction, placenta and fetal brains were collected and measured for changes in cytokines using a Luminex bead-based multiplex assay. Placental MAA tissue showed a decrease in interleukin (IL)-17 in male and female offspring. There was a sex-dependent decrease in female monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1). In male placentas, IL-4, C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10)-also known as interferon γ-induced protein 10 kDa (IP-10)-and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (RANTES) were decreased. In fetal brains, elevated inflammatory cytokines were found in MAA offspring when compared to controls. Specifically, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin 1α (IL-1α), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were elevated in both males and females. In contrast, a decrease in the cytokine IL-9 was also observed. There were slight sex differences after OVA exposures. Male fetal brains showed elevated levels of macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), whereas female brains showed increased keratinocytes-derived chemokine (KC). In addition, IL-1𝛽 and IP-10 in male fetal brains were decreased. Together, these data indicate that repeated exposure to allergic asthma during pregnancy alters cytokine expression in the fetal environment in a sex-dependent way, resulting in homeostatic and neuroinflammatory alterations in the fetal brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan M. Tamayo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA 95817, USA
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Destanie Rose
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA 95817, USA
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Jamie S. Church
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
| | - Jared J. Schwartzer
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
| | - Paul Ashwood
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA 95817, USA
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
- Correspondence:
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Breit KR, Rodriguez CG, Lei A, Hussain S, Thomas JD. Effects of prenatal alcohol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol exposure via electronic cigarettes on motor development. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:1408-1422. [PMID: 35722858 PMCID: PMC9427686 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure can lead to a wide range of neurological and behavioral deficits, including alterations in motor domains. However, much less is known about the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on motor development, despite cannabis being the most consumed illicit drug among women. Cannabis use among pregnant women has become increasingly popular given the widespread perception that consumption is safe during pregnancy. Moreover, alcohol and cannabis are commonly used together, even among pregnant women. Yet few studies have explored the potential consequences of combined prenatal exposure on behavioral domains. METHODS Using our previously established model, during gestational days 5 to 20, four groups of pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to vaporized alcohol, delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) via electronic (e-) cigarettes, the combination of alcohol and THC, or a vehicle. Following birth, offspring were tested on early sensorimotor development, adolescent motor coordination, and adolescent activity levels. RESULTS Prenatal THC e-cigarette exposure delayed sensorimotor development early in life and impaired motor coordination later in early adolescence; combined prenatal alcohol and THC exposure did not have additive effects on sensorimotor development. However, combined prenatal exposure produced hyperactivity among male offspring. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal cannabis exposure may lead to impaired motor skills throughout early development and combined exposure with alcohol during gestation may lead to hyperactivity in early adolescence. These findings have important implications for informing pregnant women of the risks to the fetus associated with prenatal cannabis exposure, with and without alcohol, and could influence public policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen R. Breit
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral TeratologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of PsychologyWest Chester UniversityWest ChesterPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Cristina G. Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral TeratologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Annie Lei
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral TeratologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Samirah Hussain
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral TeratologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jennifer D. Thomas
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral TeratologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
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Larivee R, Johnson N, Freedgood NR, Cameron HA, Schoenfeld TJ. Inhibition of Hippocampal Neurogenesis Starting in Adolescence Increases Anxiodepressive Behaviors Amid Stress. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:940125. [PMID: 35864848 PMCID: PMC9294378 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.940125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Stressors during the adolescent period can affect development of the brain and have long-lasting impacts on behavior. Specifically, adolescent stress impairs hippocampal neurogenesis and can increase risk for anxiety, depression, and a dysregulated stress response in adulthood. In order to model the functional effects of reduced hippocampal neurogenesis during adolescence, a transgenic neurogenesis ablation rat model was used to suppress neurogenesis during the adolescent period and test anxiodepressive behaviors and stress physiology during adulthood. Wildtype and transgenic (TK) rats were given valganciclovir during the first two weeks of adolescence (4-6 weeks old) to knock down neurogenesis in TK rats. Starting in young adulthood (13 weeks old), blood was sampled for corticosterone at several time points following acute restraint stress to measure negative feedback of the stress response, and rats were tested on a battery of anxiodepressive tests at baseline and following acute restraint stress. Although TK rats had large reductions in both cell proliferation during adolescence, as measured by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), and ongoing neurogenesis in adulthood (by doublecortin), resulting in decreased volume of the dentate gyrus, negative feedback of the stress response following acute restraint was similar across all rats. Despite similar stress responses, TK rats showed higher anxiety-like behavior at baseline. In addition, only TK rats had increased depressive-like behavior when tested after acute stress. Together, these results suggest that long-term neurogenesis ablation starting in adolescence produces hippocampal atrophy and increases behavioral caution and despair amid stressful environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachelle Larivee
- Department of Psychological Science and Neuroscience, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Natalie Johnson
- Department of Psychological Science and Neuroscience, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Natalie R. Freedgood
- Section on Neuroplasticity, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Heather A. Cameron
- Section on Neuroplasticity, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Timothy J. Schoenfeld
- Department of Psychological Science and Neuroscience, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Timothy J. Schoenfeld,
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Lopez-Tello J, Schofield Z, Kiu R, Dalby MJ, van Sinderen D, Le Gall G, Sferruzzi-Perri AN, Hall LJ. Maternal gut microbiota Bifidobacterium promotes placental morphogenesis, nutrient transport and fetal growth in mice. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:386. [PMID: 35760917 PMCID: PMC9236968 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04379-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The gut microbiota plays a central role in regulating host metabolism. While substantial progress has been made in discerning how the microbiota influences host functions post birth and beyond, little is known about how key members of the maternal gut microbiota can influence feto-placental growth. Notably, in pregnant women, Bifidobacterium represents a key beneficial microbiota genus, with levels observed to increase across pregnancy. Here, using germ-free and specific-pathogen-free mice, we demonstrate that the bacterium Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 modulates maternal body adaptations, placental structure and nutrient transporter capacity, with implications for fetal metabolism and growth. Maternal and placental metabolome were affected by maternal gut microbiota (i.e. acetate, formate and carnitine). Histological analysis of the placenta confirmed that Bifidobacterium modifies placental structure via changes in Igf2P0, Dlk1, Mapk1 and Mapk14 expression. Additionally, B. breve UCC2003, acting through Slc2a1 and Fatp1-4 transporters, was shown to restore fetal glycaemia and fetal growth in association with changes in the fetal hepatic transcriptome. Our work emphasizes the importance of the maternal gut microbiota on feto-placental development and sets a foundation for future research towards the use of probiotics during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Lopez-Tello
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Zoe Schofield
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Raymond Kiu
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Matthew J Dalby
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Gwénaëlle Le Gall
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Bob Champion Research and Education Building, James Watson Road, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Amanda N Sferruzzi-Perri
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Lindsay J Hall
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Bob Champion Research and Education Building, James Watson Road, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
- Chair of Intestinal Microbiome, School of Life Sciences, ZIEL-Institute for Food and Health, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.
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Early Life Stress Alters Expression of Glucocorticoid Stress Response Genes and Trophic Factor Transcripts in the Rodent Basal Ganglia. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105333. [PMID: 35628144 PMCID: PMC9141219 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105333] [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: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress shapes the developing brain and increases risk for psychotic disorders. Yet, it is not fully understood how early life stress impacts brain regions in dopaminergic pathways whose dysfunction can contribute to psychosis. Therefore, we investigated gene expression following early life stress in adult brain regions containing dopamine neuron cell bodies (substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area (VTA)) and terminals (dorsal/ventral striatum). Sprague-Dawley rats (14F, 10M) were separated from their mothers from postnatal days (PND) 2-14 for 3 h/day to induce stress, while control rats (12F, 10M) were separated for 15 min/day over the same period. In adulthood (PND98), brain regions were dissected, RNA was isolated and five glucocorticoid signalling-related and six brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) mRNAs were assayed by qPCR in four brain regions. In the VTA, levels of glucocorticoid signalling-related transcripts differed in maternally separated rodents compared to controls, with the Fkbp5 transcript significantly lower and Ptges3 transcript significantly higher in stressed offspring. In the VTA and substantia nigra, maternally separated rodents had significantly higher Bdnf IIA and III mRNA levels than controls. By contrast, in the ventral striatum, maternally separated rodents had significantly lower expression of Bdnf I, IIA, IIC, IV and VI transcripts. Sex differences in Nr3c1, Bag1 and Fkbp5 expression in the VTA and substantia nigra were also detected. Our results suggest that early life stress has long-lasting impacts on brain regions involved in dopamine neurotransmission, changing the trophic environment and potentially altering responsiveness to subsequent stressful events in a sex-specific pattern.
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Juvenile handling rescues autism-related effects of prenatal exposure to valproic acid. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7174. [PMID: 35504947 PMCID: PMC9065111 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11269-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors acting on young animals affect neurodevelopmental trajectories and impact adult brain function and behavior. Psychiatric disorders may be caused or worsen by environmental factors, but early interventions can improve performance. Understanding the possible mechanisms acting upon the developing brain could help identify etiological factors of psychiatric disorders and enable advancement of effective therapies. Research has focused on the long-lasting effects of environmental factors acting during the perinatal period, therefore little is known about the impact of these factors at later ages when neurodevelopmental pathologies such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are usually diagnosed. Here we show that handling mice during the juvenile period can rescue a range of behavioral and cellular effects of prenatal valproic acid (VPA) exposure. VPA-exposed animals show reduced sociability and increased repetitive behaviors, along with other autism-related endophenotypes such as increased immobility in the forced swim test and increased neuronal activity in the piriform cortex (Pir). Our results demonstrate that briefly handling mice every other day between postnatal days 22 and 34 can largely rescue these phenotypes. This effect can also be observed when animals are analyzed across tests using an “autism” factor, which also discriminates between animals with high and low Pir neuron activity. Thus, we identified a juvenile developmental window when environmental factors can determine adult autism-related behavior. In addition, our results have broader implications on behavioral neuroscience, as they highlight the importance of adequate experimental design and control of behavioral experiments involving treating or testing young animals.
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Xi C, Yang Z, Yu Y, Li S, He J, El-Aziz TMA, Zhao F, Cao Z. Influence of perinatal deltamethrin exposure at distinct developmental stages on motor activity, learning and memory. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 236:113460. [PMID: 35378399 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113460] [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: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perinatal exposure to deltamethrin (DM) causes attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder-like behaviors. However, the vulnerable time window to DM exposure and the possible mechanism are obscure. We aimed to identify the critical window(s) at perinatal stages for DM exposure and the possible mechanism. METHOD Pregnant mice were exposed to DM (0.5 mg/kg) at three different prenatal stages [gestational day (GD) 0-5, 6-15 and 16-birth (16-B)] and early postnatal stage (PD 0-10). Locomotor activity, learning and memory were evaluated using open field and Y-maze test, respectively. Nissl staining and western blots were used to examine the neuronal loss and the protein expression, respectively. RESULTS Perinatal exposures to DM had no effect on reproductive and growth index of offspring. However, mice receiving DM exposure during GD 16-B displayed significantly higher mortality suggesting GD 16-B is the most vulnerable time window to DM exposure. Prenatal but not early postnatal DM exposure impaired locomotor activity, learning and memory, and caused neuron loss in the dentate gyrus of male offspring. However, neither prenatal nor postnatal DM exposure affected mouse behavior of female offspring. Prenatal DM exposures decreased the protein levels of NR2A and NR2B in both hippocampi and cerebral cortices of male offspring. However, female mice receiving DM exposure at GD 16-B but not other stages displayed increased expression levels of NR2A and NR2B in hippocampi. CONCLUSION Prenatal but not early postnatal DM exposure impairs the neuron development in male but not female mice. Altered NMDA receptor expression may correlate to DM-induced behavioral deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuchu Xi
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China.
| | - Zhao Yang
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China.
| | - Yiyi Yu
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China.
| | - Shaoheng Li
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China.
| | - Jing He
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China.
| | - Tarek Mohamed Abd El-Aziz
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Minia University, El-Minia 61519, Egypt; Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA.
| | - Fang Zhao
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China.
| | - Zhengyu Cao
- Department of TCM Pharmacology, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China.
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Silverman JL, Thurm A, Ethridge SB, Soller MM, Petkova SP, Abel T, Bauman MD, Brodkin ES, Harony‐Nicolas H, Wöhr M, Halladay A. Reconsidering animal models used to study autism spectrum disorder: Current state and optimizing future. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12803. [PMID: 35285132 PMCID: PMC9189007 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID), are pervasive, often lifelong disorders, lacking evidence-based interventions for core symptoms. With no established biological markers, diagnoses are defined by behavioral criteria. Thus, preclinical in vivo animal models of NDDs must be optimally utilized. For this reason, experts in the field of behavioral neuroscience convened a workshop with the goals of reviewing current behavioral studies, reports, and assessments in rodent models. Goals included: (a) identifying the maximal utility and limitations of behavior in animal models with construct validity; (b) providing recommendations for phenotyping animal models; and (c) guidelines on how in vivo models should be used and reported reliably and rigorously while acknowledging their limitations. We concluded by recommending minimal criteria for reporting in manuscripts going forward. The workshop elucidated a consensus of potential solutions to several problems, including revisiting claims made about animal model links to ASD (and related conditions). Specific conclusions included: mice (or other rodent or preclinical models) are models of the neurodevelopmental insult, not specifically any disorder (e.g., ASD); a model that perfectly recapitulates a disorder such as ASD is untenable; and greater attention needs be given to validation of behavioral testing methods, data analysis, and critical interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill L. Silverman
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of California Davis School of MedicineSacramentoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Audrey Thurm
- Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Phenotyping ServiceNational Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Sarah B. Ethridge
- Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Phenotyping ServiceNational Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Makayla M. Soller
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of California Davis School of MedicineSacramentoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Stela P. Petkova
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of California Davis School of MedicineSacramentoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Neuroscience and PharmacologyIowa Neuroscience Institute, University of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
| | - Melissa D. Bauman
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of California Davis School of MedicineSacramentoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Edward S. Brodkin
- Department of PsychiatryPerelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Translational Research LaboratoryPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Hala Harony‐Nicolas
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and TreatmentIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Markus Wöhr
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Research Unit Brain and Cognition, Laboratory of Biological PsychologySocial and Affective Neuroscience Research Group, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium,Leuven Brain InstituteKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium,Faculty of Psychology, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Behavioral NeurosciencePhilipps‐University of MarburgMarburgGermany,Center for Mind, Brain, and BehaviorPhilipps‐University of MarburgMarburgGermany
| | - Alycia Halladay
- Autism Science FoundationUSA,Department of Pharmacology and ToxicologyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
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Harry GJ, McBride S, Witchey SK, Mhaouty-Kodja S, Trembleau A, Bridge M, Bencsik A. Roadbumps at the Crossroads of Integrating Behavioral and In Vitro Approaches for Neurotoxicity Assessment. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2022; 4:812863. [PMID: 35295216 PMCID: PMC8915899 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2022.812863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
With the appreciation that behavior represents the integration and complexity of the nervous system, neurobehavioral phenotyping and assessment has seen a renaissance over the last couple of decades, resulting in a robust database on rodent performance within various testing paradigms, possible associations with human disorders, and therapeutic interventions. The interchange of data across behavior and other test modalities and multiple model systems has advanced our understanding of fundamental biology and mechanisms associated with normal functions and alterations in the nervous system. While there is a demonstrated value and power of neurobehavioral assessments for examining alterations due to genetic manipulations, maternal factors, early development environment, the applied use of behavior to assess environmental neurotoxicity continues to come under question as to whether behavior represents a sensitive endpoint for assessment. Why is rodent behavior a sensitive tool to the neuroscientist and yet, not when used in pre-clinical or chemical neurotoxicity studies? Applying new paradigms and evidence on the biological basis of behavior to neurobehavioral testing requires expertise and refinement of how such experiments are conducted to minimize variability and maximize information. This review presents relevant issues of methods used to conduct such test, sources of variability, experimental design, data analysis, interpretation, and reporting. It presents beneficial and critical limitations as they translate to the in vivo environment and considers the need to integrate across disciplines for the best value. It proposes that a refinement of behavioral assessments and understanding of subtle pronounced differences will facilitate the integration of data obtained across multiple approaches and to address issues of translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Jean Harry
- Neurotoxicology Group, Molecular Toxicology Branch, Division National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sandra McBride
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., a DLH Holdings Company, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Shannah K. Witchey
- Division National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sakina Mhaouty-Kodja
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Neuroscience Paris Seine – Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Paris, France
| | - Alain Trembleau
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR8246, Inserm U1130, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Neuroscience Paris Seine (NPS), Paris, France
| | - Matthew Bridge
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., a DLH Holdings Company, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Anna Bencsik
- Anses Laboratoire de Lyon, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Université de Lyon 1, Lyon, France
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50
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Cristino LMF, Chaves Filho AJM, Custódio CS, Vasconcelos SMM, de Sousa FCF, Sanders LLO, de Lucena DF, Macedo DS. Animal Model of Neonatal Immune Challenge by Lipopolysaccharide: A Study of Sex Influence in Behavioral and Immune/Neurotrophic Alterations in Juvenile Mice. Neuroimmunomodulation 2022; 29:391-401. [PMID: 35272296 DOI: 10.1159/000522055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The prenatal/perinatal exposure to infections may trigger neurodevelopmental alterations that lead to neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous evidence points to long-term behavioral consequences, such as autistic-like behaviors in rodents induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) pre- and postnatal (PN) exposure during critical neurodevelopmental periods. Additionally, sex influences the prevalence and symptoms of ASD. Despite this, the mechanisms underlying this influence are poorly understood. We aim to study sex influences in behavioral and neurotrophic/inflammatory alterations triggered by LPS neonatal exposure in juvenile mice at an approximate age of ASD diagnosis in humans. METHODS Swiss male and female mice on PN days 5 and 7 received a single daily injection of 500 μg/kg LPS from Escherichia coli or sterile saline (control group). We conducted behavioral determinations of locomotor activity, repetitive behavior, anxiety-like behavior, social interaction, and working memory in animals on PN25 (equivalent to 3-5 years old of the human). To determine BDNF levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, we used animals on PN8 (equivalent to a human term infant) and PN25. In addition, we evaluated iba-1 (microglia marker), TNFα, and parvalbumin expression on PN25. RESULTS Male juvenile mice presented repetitive behavior, anxiety, and working memory deficits. Females showed social impairment and working memory deficits. In the neurochemical analysis, we detected lower BDNF levels in brain areas of female mice that were more evident in juvenile mice. Only LPS-challenged females presented a marked hippocampal expression of the microglial activation marker, iba-1, and increased TNFα levels, accompanied by a lower parvalbumin expression. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Male and female mice presented distinct behavioral alterations. However, LPS-challenged juvenile females showed the most prominent neurobiological alterations related to autism, such as increased microglial activation and parvalbumin impairment. Since these sex-sensitive alterations seem to be age-dependent, a better understanding of changes induced by the exposure to specific risk factors throughout life represents essential targets for developing strategies for autism prevention and precision therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Maria Frota Cristino
- Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Drug Research, and Development Center, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Adriano José Maia Chaves Filho
- Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Drug Research, and Development Center, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Charllyany Sabino Custódio
- Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Drug Research, and Development Center, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Silvânia Maria Mendes Vasconcelos
- Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Drug Research, and Development Center, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Francisca Cléa F de Sousa
- Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Drug Research, and Development Center, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Lia Lira O Sanders
- Centro Universitário Christus - Unichristus, Fortaleza, Brazil
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - David Freitas de Lucena
- Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Drug Research, and Development Center, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Danielle S Macedo
- Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Drug Research, and Development Center, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
- National Science and Technology Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Houston, Brazil
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