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Zacharjasz J, Sztachera M, Smuszkiewicz M, Piwecka M. Micromanaging the neuroendocrine system - A review on miR-7 and the other physiologically relevant miRNAs in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. FEBS Lett 2024; 598:1557-1575. [PMID: 38858179 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14948] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary axis is central to the functioning of the neuroendocrine system and essential for regulating physiological and behavioral homeostasis and coordinating fundamental body functions. The expanding line of evidence shows the indispensable role of the microRNA pathway in regulating the gene expression profile in the developing and adult hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Experiments provoking a depletion of miRNA maturation in the context of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis brought into focus a prominent involvement of miRNAs in neuroendocrine functions. There are also a few individual miRNAs and miRNA families that have been studied in depth revealing their crucial role in mediating the regulation of fundamental processes such as temporal precision of puberty timing, hormone production, fertility and reproduction capacity, and energy balance. Among these miRNAs, miR-7 was shown to be hypothalamus-enriched and the top one highly expressed in the pituitary gland, where it has a profound impact on gene expression regulation. Here, we review miRNA profiles, knockout phenotypes, and miRNA interaction (targets) in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis that advance our understanding of the roles of miRNAs in mammalian neurosecretion and related physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Zacharjasz
- Department of Non-coding RNAs, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Marta Sztachera
- Department of Non-coding RNAs, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Michał Smuszkiewicz
- Department of Non-coding RNAs, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Monika Piwecka
- Department of Non-coding RNAs, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
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Spinieli RL, Cazuza R, Sales AJ, Carolino R, Franci JA, Tajerian M, Leite-Panissi CRA. Acute restraint stress regulates brain DNMT3a and promotes defensive behaviors in male rats. Neurosci Lett 2024; 820:137589. [PMID: 38101612 PMCID: PMC10947420 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137589] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Depending on its duration and severity, stress may contribute to neuropsychiatric diseases such as depression and anxiety. Studies have shown that stress impacts the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, but its downstream molecular, behavioral, and nociceptive effects remain unclear. We hypothesized that a 2-hour single exposure to acute restraint stress (ARS) activates the HPA axis and changes DNA methylation, a molecular mechanism involved in the machinery of stress regulation. We further hypothesized that ARS induces anxiety-like and risk assessment behavior and alters nociceptive responses in the rat. We employed biochemical (radioimmunoassay for corticosterone; global DNA methylation by enzyme immunoassay and western blot for DNMT3a expression in the amygdala, ventral hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex) and behavioral (elevated plus maze and dark-light box for anxiety and hot plate test for nociception) tests in adult male Wistar rats exposed to ARS or handling (control). All analyses were performed 24 h after ARS or handling. We found that ARS increased corticosterone levels in the blood, increased the expression of DNMT3a in the prefrontal cortex, promoted anxiety-like and risk assessment behaviors in the elevated plus maze, and increased the nociceptive threshold observed in the hot plate test. Our findings suggest that ARS might be a helpful rat model for studying acute stress and its effects on physiology, epigenetic machinery, and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L Spinieli
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Science and Literature of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Rafael Cazuza
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Science and Literature of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amanda J Sales
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ruither Carolino
- Department of Basic and Oral Biology, Dental School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Janete A Franci
- Department of Basic and Oral Biology, Dental School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maral Tajerian
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY, United States; The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Christie R A Leite-Panissi
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Science and Literature of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo, Brazil.
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Gersamia AG, Pochigaeva KI, Less YE, Akzhigitov RG, Guekht AB, Gulyaeva NV. [Gender characteristics of depressive disorders: clinical, psychological, neurobiological and translational aspects]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2024; 124:7-16. [PMID: 38529858 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro20241240317] [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] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Various studies have indicated that the prevalence of depression is almost twice as high among women as among men. A major factor associated with the development of depression and other affective disorders are adverse and psychologically traumatic life events that contribute to changes in the neuroendocrine system, altering the capacity to adapt to stress. These changes are involved in the pathogenesis of mental disorders, along with genetic and other factors, and are to a significant degree regulated by gender dependent mechanisms. While women have a high prevalence of depressive disorders, men show a higher rate of alcohol and substance abuse. These differences in the epidemiology are most likely explained by different predisposition to mental disorders in men and women and a diversity of biological consequences to adverse life events. Taking this into account, there is a need for a critical review of currently used approaches to modeling depressive disorders in preclinical studies, including the use of animals of both sexes. Adaptation of experimental models and protocols taking into account gender characteristics of neuroendocrine changes in response to stress, as well as structural-morphological, electrophysiological, molecular, genetic and epigenetic features, will significantly increase the translational validity of experimental work.
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Affiliation(s)
- A G Gersamia
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
| | - K I Pochigaeva
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yu E Less
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
| | - R G Akzhigitov
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
| | - A B Guekht
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - N V Gulyaeva
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of RAS, Moscow, Russia
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Coelho A, Lima-Bastos S, Gobira P, Lisboa S. Endocannabinoid signaling and epigenetics modifications in the neurobiology of stress-related disorders. Neuronal Signal 2023; 7:NS20220034. [PMID: 37520658 PMCID: PMC10372471 DOI: 10.1042/ns20220034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress exposure is associated with psychiatric conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is also a vulnerability factor to developing or reinstating substance use disorder. Stress causes several changes in the neuro-immune-endocrine axis, potentially resulting in prolonged dysfunction and diseases. Changes in several transmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glucocorticoids, and cytokines, are associated with psychiatric disorders or behavioral alterations in preclinical studies. Complex and interacting mechanisms make it very difficult to understand the physiopathology of psychiatry conditions; therefore, studying regulatory mechanisms that impact these alterations is a good approach. In the last decades, the impact of stress on biology through epigenetic markers, which directly impact gene expression, is under intense investigation; these mechanisms are associated with behavioral alterations in animal models after stress or drug exposure, for example. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system modulates stress response, reward circuits, and other physiological functions, including hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activation and immune response. eCBs, for example, act retrogradely at presynaptic neurons, limiting the release of neurotransmitters, a mechanism implicated in the antidepressant and anxiolytic effects after stress. Epigenetic mechanisms can impact the expression of eCB system molecules, which in turn can regulate epigenetic mechanisms. This review will present evidence of how the eCB system and epigenetic mechanisms interact and the consequences of this interaction in modulating behavioral changes after stress exposure in preclinical studies or psychiatric conditions. Moreover, evidence that correlates the involvement of the eCB system and epigenetic mechanisms in drug abuse contexts will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur A. Coelho
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sávio Lima-Bastos
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pedro H. Gobira
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sabrina F. Lisboa
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil
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Roy B, Dwivedi Y. An insight into the sprawling microverse of microRNAs in depression pathophysiology and treatment response. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105040. [PMID: 36639069 PMCID: PMC9974865 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105040] [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: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Stress-related neuropathologies are pivotal in developing major depressive disorder (MDD) and are often governed by gene-regulatory changes. Being a stress-responsive gene-regulatory factor, microRNAs (miRNAs) have tremendous biomolecular potential to define an altered gene-regulatory landscape in the MDD brain. MiRNAs' regulatory roles in the MDD brain are closely aligned with changes in plasticity, neurogenesis, and stress-axis functions. MiRNAs act at the epigenetic interface between stress-induced environmental stimuli and cellular pathologies by triggering large-scale gene expression changes in a highly coordinated fashion. The parallel changes in peripheral circulation may provide an excellent opportunity for miRNA to devise more effective treatment strategies and help explore their potential as biomarkers in treatment response. This review discusses the role of miRNAs as epigenetic modifiers in the etiopathogenesis of MDD. Concurrently, key research is highlighted to show the progress in using miRNAs as predictive biomarkers for treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaskar Roy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Yogesh Dwivedi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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Dissecting early life stress-induced adolescent depression through epigenomic approach. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:141-153. [PMID: 36517640 PMCID: PMC9812796 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01907-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS), such as abuse and neglect during childhood, can lead to psychiatric disorders in later life. Previous studies have suggested that ELS can cause profound changes in gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms, which can lead to psychiatric disorders in adulthood; however, studies on epigenetic modifications associated with ELS and psychiatric disorders in adolescents are limited. Moreover, how these epigenetic modifications can lead to psychiatric disorders in adolescents is not fully understood. Commonly, DNA methylation, histone modification, and the regulation of noncoding RNAs have been attributed to the reprogramming of epigenetic profiling associated with ELS. Although only a few studies have attempted to examine epigenetic modifications in adolescents with ELS, existing evidence suggests that there are commonalities and differences in epigenetic profiling between adolescents and adults. In addition, epigenetic modifications are sex-dependent and are influenced by the type of ELS. In this review, we have critically evaluated the current evidence on epigenetic modifications in adolescents with ELS, particularly DNA methylation and the expression of microRNAs in both preclinical models and humans. We have also clarified the impact of ELS on psychiatric disorders in adolescents to predict the development of neuropsychiatric disorders and to prevent and recover these disorders through personalized medicine.
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Tavares GA, Torres A, Le Drean G, Queignec M, Castellano B, Tesson L, Remy S, Anegon I, Pitard B, Kaeffer B. Oral Delivery of miR-320-3p with Lipidic Aminoglycoside Derivatives at Mid-Lactation Alters miR-320-3p Endogenous Levels in the Gut and Brain of Adult Rats According to Early or Regular Weaning. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010191. [PMID: 36613633 PMCID: PMC9820440 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate if the artificial delivery of microRNAs naturally present in the breastmilk can impact the gut and brain of young rats according to weaning. Animals from a new transgenic rat line expressing the green-fluorescent protein in the endocrine lineage (cholecystokinin expressing cells) received a single oral bolus of miR-320-3p or miR-375-3p embedded in DiOleyl-Succinyl-Paromomycin (DOSP) on D-12. The pups were weaned early (D-15), or regularly (D-30). The expression of relevant miRNA, mRNAs, chromatin complexes, and duodenal cell density were assessed at 8 h post-inoculation and on D-45. The miR-320-3p/DOSP induced immediate effects on H3K4me3 chromatin complexes with polr3d promoter (p < 0.05). On regular weaning, on D-45, miR-320-3p and 375-3p were found to be downregulated in the stomach and upregulated in the hypothalamus (p < 0.001), whereas miR-320-3p was upregulated in the duodenum. After early weaning, miR-320-3p and miR-375-3p were downregulated in the stomach and the duodenum, but upregulated in the hypothalamus and the hippocampus. Combination of miR-320-3p/DOSP with early weaning enhanced miR-320-3p and chromogranin A expression in the duodenum. In the female brain stem, miR-320-3p, miR-504, and miR-16-5p levels were all upregulated. Investigating the oral miRNA-320-3p loads in the duodenal cell lineage paved the way for designing new therapeutics to avoid unexpected long-term impacts on the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Araujo Tavares
- Nantes Université, INRAE, UMR 1280, PhAN, F-44000 Nantes, France
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Behavior, Graduate Program of Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife 56070-901, Brazil
| | - Amada Torres
- Nantes Université, INRAE, UMR 1280, PhAN, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Gwenola Le Drean
- Nantes Université, INRAE, UMR 1280, PhAN, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Maïwenn Queignec
- Nantes Université, INRAE, UMR 1280, PhAN, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | | | - Laurent Tesson
- Platform Rat Transgenesis ImmunoPhenomic, INSERM UMR 1064-CRTI, SFR François Bonamy, CNRS UMS3556, F-44093 Nantes, France
| | - Séverine Remy
- Platform Rat Transgenesis ImmunoPhenomic, INSERM UMR 1064-CRTI, SFR François Bonamy, CNRS UMS3556, F-44093 Nantes, France
| | - Ignacio Anegon
- Platform Rat Transgenesis ImmunoPhenomic, INSERM UMR 1064-CRTI, SFR François Bonamy, CNRS UMS3556, F-44093 Nantes, France
| | - Bruno Pitard
- Nantes Université, Univ Angers, INSERM, CNRS, Immunology and New Concepts in Immunotherapy, INCIT UMR1302/EMR6001, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Bertrand Kaeffer
- Nantes Université, INRAE, UMR 1280, PhAN, F-44000 Nantes, France
- Correspondence:
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Krispil-Alon M, Jovasevic V, Radulovic J, Richter-Levin G. Sex-specific roles of hippocampal microRNAs in stress vulnerability and resilience. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:503. [PMID: 36473835 PMCID: PMC9726879 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02267-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Contrary to intuition, most individuals are resilient to psychological trauma and only a minority is vulnerable. Men and women are known to respond differently to trauma exposure, however, mechanisms underlying the relationship between sex differences and trauma resilience and vulnerability are not yet fully understood. Taking advantage of the Behavioral Profiling approach, which enables differentiating between 'affected' and 'unaffected' individuals, we examined sex-associated differences in stress exposure effects on hippocampal expression of selected stress-related GABA-A receptor targeting miRNAs. Levels of the miRNA-144 and miRNA-33 were measured in male and female affected (vulnerable, e.g., higher freezing time) and unaffected (resilient) rats. In male rats, increased levels of miRNA-144 and miRNA-33 were observed in the dorsal dentate gyrus (dDG) and ventral dentate gyrus (vDG) respectively, of stress-exposed but unaffected animals. In females, we observed an increased expression of miRNA-144 and miRNA-33 in the ventral cornu ammonis 1 (vCA1) of affected animals. Accordingly, we inhibited miRNAs expression selectively in hippocampal subregions using oligonucleotides containing locked nucleic acid bases, to examine the miRNAs' causal contribution to either vulnerability or resilience to stress in each sex. Inhibition of miRNA-144 in dDG and miRNA-33 in vDG in males resulted in an increased prevalence of vulnerable animals, while inhibition of miRNA-144 and miRNA-33 in vCA1 in females increased the proportion of resilient animals. The current findings reveal a critical sex-associated difference in the role of miRNAs in stress vulnerability and resilience. This novel understanding of sex-associated epigenetic involvement in the mechanism of stress-related psychopathologies may help improve gender-specific diagnosis and effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maayan Krispil-Alon
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Psychology Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Vladimir Jovasevic
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Jelena Radulovic
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Gal Richter-Levin
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
- Psychology Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
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Environmental stimulation in Huntington disease patients and animal models. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 171:105725. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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