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George K, Hoang HTM, Tibbs T, Nagaraja RY, Li G, Troyano-Rodriguez E, Ahmad M. Robust GRK2/3/6-dependent desensitization of oxytocin receptor in neurons. iScience 2024; 27:110047. [PMID: 38883814 PMCID: PMC11179071 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin plays critical roles in the brain as a neuromodulator, regulating social and other affective behavior. However, the regulatory mechanisms controlling oxytocin receptor (OXTR) signaling in neurons remain unexplored. In this study, we have identified robust and rapid-onset desensitization of OXTR response in multiple regions of the mouse brain. Both cell autonomous spiking response and presynaptic activation undergo similar agonist-induced desensitization. G-protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRK) GRK2, GRK3, and GRK6 are recruited to the activated OXTR in neurons, followed by recruitment of β-arrestin-1 and -2. Neuronal OXTR desensitization was impaired by suppression of GRK2/3/6 kinase activity but remained unaltered with double knockout of β-arrestin-1 and -2. Additionally, we observed robust agonist-induced internalization of neuronal OXTR and its Rab5-dependent recruitment to early endosomes, which was impaired by GRK2/3/6 inhibition. This work defines distinctive aspects of the mechanisms governing OXTR desensitization and internalization in neurons compared to prior studies in heterologous cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran George
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Hanh T M Hoang
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Taryn Tibbs
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Raghavendra Y Nagaraja
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Guangpu Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Eva Troyano-Rodriguez
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Mohiuddin Ahmad
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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Medeiros D, Ayala-Baylon K, Egido-Betancourt H, Miller E, Chapleau C, Robinson H, Phillips ML, Yang T, Longo FM, Li W, Pozzo-Miller L. A small-molecule TrkB ligand improves dendritic spine phenotypes and atypical behaviors in female Rett syndrome mice. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050612. [PMID: 38785269 PMCID: PMC11139040 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050612] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in MECP2, which encodes methyl-CpG-binding protein 2, a transcriptional regulator of many genes, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF levels are lower in multiple brain regions of Mecp2-deficient mice, and experimentally increasing BDNF levels improve atypical phenotypes in Mecp2 mutant mice. Due to the low blood-brain barrier permeability of BDNF itself, we tested the effects of LM22A-4, a brain-penetrant, small-molecule ligand of the BDNF receptor TrkB (encoded by Ntrk2), on dendritic spine density and form in hippocampal pyramidal neurons and on behavioral phenotypes in female Mecp2 heterozygous (HET) mice. A 4-week systemic treatment of Mecp2 HET mice with LM22A-4 restored spine volume in MeCP2-expressing neurons to wild-type (WT) levels, whereas spine volume in MeCP2-lacking neurons remained comparable to that in neurons from female WT mice. Female Mecp2 HET mice engaged in aggressive behaviors more than WT mice, the levels of which were reduced to WT levels by the 4-week LM22A-4 treatment. These data provide additional support to the potential usefulness of novel therapies not only for RTT but also to other BDNF-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Destynie Medeiros
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Karen Ayala-Baylon
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Hailey Egido-Betancourt
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Eric Miller
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Christopher Chapleau
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Holly Robinson
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Mary L. Phillips
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Tao Yang
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Frank M. Longo
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Lucas Pozzo-Miller
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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Thirtamara Rajamani K, Barbier M, Lefevre A, Niblo K, Cordero N, Netser S, Grinevich V, Wagner S, Harony-Nicolas H. Oxytocin activity in the paraventricular and supramammillary nuclei of the hypothalamus is essential for social recognition memory in rats. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:412-424. [PMID: 38052983 PMCID: PMC11116117 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02336-0] [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: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin plays an important role in modulating social recognition memory. However, the direct implication of oxytocin neurons of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) and their downstream hypothalamic targets in regulating short- and long-term forms of social recognition memory has not been fully investigated. In this study, we employed a chemogenetic approach to target the activity of PVH oxytocin neurons in male rats and found that specific silencing of this neuronal population led to an impairment in short- and long-term social recognition memory. We combined viral-mediated fluorescent labeling of oxytocin neurons with immunohistochemical techniques and identified the supramammillary nucleus (SuM) of the hypothalamus as a target of PVH oxytocinergic axonal projections in rats. We used multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization to label oxytocin receptors in the SuM and determined that they are predominantly expressed in glutamatergic neurons, including those that project to the CA2 region of the hippocampus. Finally, we used a highly selective oxytocin receptor antagonist in the SuM to examine the involvement of oxytocin signaling in modulating short- and long-term social recognition memory and found that it is necessary for the formation of both. This study discovered a previously undescribed role for the SuM in regulating social recognition memory via oxytocin signaling and reinforced the specific role of PVH oxytocin neurons in regulating this form of memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keerthi Thirtamara Rajamani
- Department of Psychiatry and Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marie Barbier
- Department of Psychiatry and Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Arthur Lefevre
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Kristi Niblo
- Department of Psychiatry and Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Cordero
- CUNY School of Medicine, The City College of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Hala Harony-Nicolas
- Department of Psychiatry and Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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Cum M, Santiago Pérez JA, Wangia E, Lopez N, Wright ES, Iwata RL, Li A, Chambers AR, Padilla-Coreano N. A systematic review and meta-analysis of how social memory is studied. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2221. [PMID: 38278973 PMCID: PMC10817899 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52277-z] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Social recognition is crucial for survival in social species, and necessary for group living, selective reproduction, pair bonding, and dominance hierarchies. Mice and rats are the most commonly used animal models in social memory research, however current paradigms do not account for the complex social dynamics they exhibit in the wild. To assess the range of social memories being studied, we conducted a systematic analysis of neuroscience articles testing the social memory of mice and rats published within the past two decades and analyzed their methods. Our results show that despite these rodent's rich social memory capabilities, the majority of social recognition papers explore short-term memories and short-term familiarity levels with minimal exposure between subject and familiar stimuli-a narrow type of social memory. We have identified several key areas currently understudied or underrepresented: kin relationships, mates, social ranks, sex variabilities, and the effects of aging. Additionally, reporting on social stimulus variables such as housing history, strain, and age, is limited, which may impede reproducibility. Overall, our data highlight large gaps in the diversity of social memories studied and the effects social variables have on social memory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Cum
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | | | - Erika Wangia
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | - Naeliz Lopez
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Wright
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | - Ryo L Iwata
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | - Albert Li
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
| | - Amelia R Chambers
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610, USA
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Leithead AB, Godino A, Barbier M, Harony-Nicolas H. Social Interaction Elicits Activity in Glutamatergic Neurons in the Posterior Intralaminar Complex of the Thalamus. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:112-122. [PMID: 37245781 PMCID: PMC10676449 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.05.016] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The posterior intralaminar complex of the thalamus (PIL) is a multimodal nucleus that has been implicated in maternal behaviors and conspecific social behaviors in male and female rodents. Glutamatergic neurons are a major component of the PIL; however, their specific activity and role during social interactions has not yet been assessed. METHODS We used immunohistochemistry for the immediate early gene c-fos as a proxy for neuronal activity in the PIL of mice exposed to a novel social stimulus, a novel object stimulus, or no stimulus. We then used fiber photometry to record neural activity of glutamatergic neurons in the PIL in real time during social and nonsocial interactions. Finally, we used inhibitory DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) in glutamatergic PIL neurons and tested social preference and social habituation-dishabituation. RESULTS We observed significantly more c-fos-positive cells in the PIL of mice exposed to a social stimulus versus an object stimulus or no stimulus. Neural activity of PIL glutamatergic neurons was increased when male and female mice were engaged in social interaction with a same-sex juvenile or opposite-sex adult, but not a toy mouse. Neural activity was positively correlated with social investigation bout length and negatively correlated with chronological order of bouts. Social preference was unaffected by inhibition; however, inhibiting activity of glutamatergic neurons in the PIL delayed the time that it took for female mice to form social habituation. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings suggest that glutamatergic PIL neurons respond to social stimuli in both male and female mice and may regulate perceptual encoding of social information to facilitate recognition of social stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Beth Leithead
- Department of Psychiatry, the Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Arthur Godino
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Marie Barbier
- Department of Psychiatry, the Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Hala Harony-Nicolas
- Department of Psychiatry, the Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
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6
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Mohapatra AN, Peles D, Netser S, Wagner S. Synchronized LFP rhythmicity in the social brain reflects the context of social encounters. Commun Biol 2024; 7:2. [PMID: 38168971 PMCID: PMC10761981 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05728-8] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Mammalian social behavior is highly context-sensitive. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms that modulate social behavior according to its context. Recent studies have revealed a network of mostly limbic brain regions which regulates social behavior. We hypothesize that coherent theta and gamma rhythms reflect the organization of this network into functional sub-networks in a context-dependent manner. To test this concept, we simultaneously record local field potential (LFP) from multiple social brain regions in adult male mice performing three social discrimination tasks. While LFP rhythmicity across all tasks is dominated by a global internal state, the pattern of theta coherence between the various regions reflect the behavioral task more than other variables. Moreover, Granger causality analysis implicate the ventral dentate gyrus as a main player in coordinating the context-specific rhythmic activity. Thus, our results suggest that the pattern of coordinated rhythmic activity within the network reflects the subject's social context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alok Nath Mohapatra
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, POB. 3338, Haifa, 3103301, Israel.
| | - David Peles
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, POB. 3338, Haifa, 3103301, Israel
| | - Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, POB. 3338, Haifa, 3103301, Israel
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, POB. 3338, Haifa, 3103301, Israel
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Cum M, Pérez JS, Wangia E, Lopez N, Wright ES, Iwata RL, Li A, Chambers AR, Padilla-Coreano N. Mind the gap: A systematic review and meta-analysis of how social memory is studied. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.20.572606. [PMID: 38187659 PMCID: PMC10769336 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.20.572606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Social recognition is crucial for survival in social species, and necessary for group living, selective reproduction, pair bonding, and dominance hierarchies. Mice and rats are the most commonly used animal models in social memory research, however current paradigms do not account for the complex social dynamics they exhibit in the wild. To assess the range of social memories being studied, we conducted a systematic analysis of neuroscience articles testing the social memory of mice and rats published within the past two decades and analyzed their methods. Our results show that despite these rodent's rich social memory capabilities, the majority of social recognition papers explore short-term memories and short-term familiarity levels with minimal exposure between subject and familiar stimuli - a narrow type of social memory. We have identified several key areas currently understudied or underrepresented: kin relationships, mates, social ranks, sex variabilities, and the effects of aging. Additionally, reporting on social stimulus variables such as housing history, strain, and age, is limited, which may impede reproducibility. Overall, our data highlight large gaps in the diversity of social memories studied and the effects social variables have on social memory mechanisms.
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Barbier M, Thirtamara Rajamani K, Netser S, Wagner S, Harony-Nicolas H. Altered neural activity in the mesoaccumbens pathway underlies impaired social reward processing in Shank3-deficient rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.05.570134. [PMID: 38106179 PMCID: PMC10723340 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.05.570134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Social behaviors are crucial for human connection and belonging, often impacted in conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The mesoaccumbens pathway (VTA and NAc) plays a pivotal role in social behavior and is implicated in ASD. However, the impact of ASD-related mutations on social reward processing remains insufficiently explored. This study focuses on the Shank3 mutation, associated with a rare genetic condition and linked to ASD, examining its influence on the mesoaccumbens pathway during behavior, using the Shank3-deficient rat model. Our findings indicate that Shank3-deficient rats exhibit atypical social interactions and have difficulty adjusting behavior based on reward values, associated with modified neuronal activity of VTA dopaminergic and GABAergic neurons and reduced dopamine release in the NAc. Moreover, we demonstrate that manipulating VTA neuronal activity can normalize this behavior, providing insights into the effects of Shank3 mutations on social reward and behavior, and identify a potential neural pathway for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Barbier
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Friedman Brain Institute, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Keerthi Thirtamara Rajamani
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Friedman Brain Institute, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Hala Harony-Nicolas
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Friedman Brain Institute, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Medeiros D, Ayala-Baylon K, Egido-Betancourt H, Miller E, Chapleau CA, Robinson HA, Phillips ML, Yang T, Longo F, Li W, Pozzo-Miller L. A small-molecule TrkB ligand improves dendritic spine phenotypes and atypical behaviors in female Rett syndrome mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.09.566435. [PMID: 37986936 PMCID: PMC10659425 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.09.566435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in methyl-CpG-binding protein-2 (MECP2), encoding a transcriptional regulator of many genes, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf). BDNF mRNA and protein levels are lower in RTT autopsy brains and in multiple brain regions of Mecp2-deficient mice, and experimentally increasing BDNF levels improve atypical phenotypes in Mecp2 mutant mice. Due to the low blood-brain barrier permeability of BDNF itself, we tested the effects of a brain penetrant, small molecule ligand of its TrkB receptors. Applied in vitro, LM22A-4 increased dendritic spine density in pyramidal neurons in cultured hippocampal slices from postnatal day (P) 7 male Mecp2 knockout (KO) mice as much as recombinant BDNF, and both effects were prevented by the TrkB receptor inhibitors K-252a and ANA-12. Consistent with its partial agonist activity, LM22A-4 did not affect spine density in CA1 pyramidal neurons in slice cultures from male wildtype (WT) mice, where typical BDNF levels outcompete its binding to TrkB. To identify neurons of known genotypes in the "mosaic" brain of female Mecp2 heterozygous (HET) mice, we treated 4-6-month-old female MeCP2-GFP WT and HET mice with peripheral injections of LM22A-4 for 4 weeks. Surprisingly, mutant neurons lacking MeCP2-GFP showed dendritic spine volumes comparable to that in WT controls, while MeCP2-GFP-expressing neurons showed larger spines, similar to the phenotype we described in symptomatic male Mecp2 KO mice where all neurons lack MeCP2. Consistent with this non-cell-autonomous mechanism, a 4-week systemic treatment with LM22A-4 had an effect only in MeCP2-GFP-expressing neurons in female Mecp2 HET mice, bringing dendritic spine volumes down to WT control levels, and without affecting spines of MeCP2-GFP-lacking neurons. At the behavioral level, we found that female Mecp2 HET mice engaged in aggressive behaviors significantly more than WT controls, which were reduced to WT levels by a 4-week systemic treatment with LM22A-4. Altogether, these data revealed differences in dendritic spine size and altered behaviors in Mecp2 HET mice, while providing support to the potential usefulness of BDNF-related therapeutic approaches such as the partial TrkB agonist LM22A-4.
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A B L, A G, M B, H HN. Social Interaction Elicits Activity in Glutamatergic Neurons in the Posterior Intralaminar Complex of the Thalamus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.24.538114. [PMID: 37163009 PMCID: PMC10168253 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.24.538114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Background The posterior intralaminar (PIL) complex of the thalamus is a multimodal nucleus that has been implicated in maternal behaviors and conspecific social behaviors in male and female rodents. Glutamatergic neurons are a major component of the PIL; however, their specific activity and role during social interactions has not yet been assessed. Methods We used immunohistochemistry for the immediate early gene c-fos as a proxy for neuronal activity in the PIL of mice exposed to a novel social stimulus, a novel object stimulus, or no stimulus. We then used fiber photometry to record neural activity of glutamatergic neurons in the PIL in real-time during social and non-social interactions. Finally, we used inhibitory DREADDs in glutamatergic PIL neurons and tested social preference and social habituation-dishabituation. Results We observed significantly more c-fos -positive cells in the PIL of mice exposed to social versus object or no stimuli. Neural activity of PIL glutamatergic neurons was increased when male and female mice were engaged in social interaction with a same-sex juvenile or opposite-sex adult, but not a toy mouse. Neural activity positively correlated with social investigation bout length and negatively correlated with chronological order of bouts. Social preference was unaffected by inhibition; however, inhibiting activity of glutamatergic neurons in the PIL delayed the time it took female mice to form social habituation. Conclusions Together these findings suggest that glutamatergic PIL neurons respond to social stimuli in both male and female mice and may regulate perceptual encoding of social information to facilitate recognition of social stimuli.
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11
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Jabarin R, Dagash W, Netser S, Singh S, Paul BK, Barkai E, Wagner S. Modulation of social investigation by anterior hypothalamic nucleus rhythmic neural activity. iScience 2022; 26:105921. [PMID: 36685037 PMCID: PMC9852926 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Social interactions involve both approach and avoidance toward specific individuals. Currently, the brain regions subserving these behaviors are not fully recognized. The anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AHN) is a poorly defined brain area, and recent studies have yielded contradicting conclusions regarding its behavioral role. Here we explored the role of AHN neuronal activity in regulating approach and avoidance actions during social interactions. Using electrophysiological recordings from behaving mice, we revealed that theta rhythmicity in the AHN is enhanced during affiliative interactions, but decreases during aversive ones. Moreover, the spiking activity of AHN neurons increased during the investigation of social stimuli, as compared to objects, and was modulated by theta rhythmicity. Finally, AHN optogenetic stimulation during social interactions augmented the approach toward stimuli associated with the stimulation. These results suggest the role for AHN neural activity in regulating approach behavior during social interactions, and for theta rhythmicity in mediating the valence of social stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renad Jabarin
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Wael Dagash
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Shelly Singh
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Blesson K. Paul
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Edi Barkai
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel,Corresponding author
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12
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Jabarin R, Netser S, Wagner S. Beyond the three-chamber test: toward a multimodal and objective assessment of social behavior in rodents. Mol Autism 2022; 13:41. [PMID: 36284353 PMCID: PMC9598038 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00521-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
MAIN: In recent years, substantial advances in social neuroscience have been realized, including the generation of numerous rodent models of autism spectrum disorder. Still, it can be argued that those methods currently being used to analyze animal social behavior create a bottleneck that significantly slows down progress in this field. Indeed, the bulk of research still relies on a small number of simple behavioral paradigms, the results of which are assessed without considering behavioral dynamics. Moreover, only few variables are examined in each paradigm, thus overlooking a significant portion of the complexity that characterizes social interaction between two conspecifics, subsequently hindering our understanding of the neural mechanisms governing different aspects of social behavior. We further demonstrate these constraints by discussing the most commonly used paradigm for assessing rodent social behavior, the three-chamber test. We also point to the fact that although emotions greatly influence human social behavior, we lack reliable means for assessing the emotional state of animals during social tasks. As such, we also discuss current evidence supporting the existence of pro-social emotions and emotional cognition in animal models. We further suggest that adequate social behavior analysis requires a novel multimodal approach that employs automated and simultaneous measurements of multiple behavioral and physiological variables at high temporal resolution in socially interacting animals. We accordingly describe several computerized systems and computational tools for acquiring and analyzing such measurements. Finally, we address several behavioral and physiological variables that can be used to assess socio-emotional states in animal models and thus elucidate intricacies of social behavior so as to attain deeper insight into the brain mechanisms that mediate such behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, we suggest that combining automated multimodal measurements with machine-learning algorithms will help define socio-emotional states and determine their dynamics during various types of social tasks, thus enabling a more thorough understanding of the complexity of social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renad Jabarin
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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13
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de la Zerda SH, Netser S, Magalnik H, Briller M, Marzan D, Glatt S, Abergel Y, Wagner S. Social recognition in laboratory mice requires integration of behaviorally-induced somatosensory, auditory and olfactory cues. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 143:105859. [PMID: 35816892 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
In humans, discrimination between individuals, also termed social recognition, can rely on a single sensory modality, such as vision. By analogy, social recognition in rodents is thought to be based upon olfaction. Here, we hypothesized that social recognition in rodents relies upon integration of olfactory, auditory and somatosensory cues, hence requiring active behavior of social stimuli. Using distinct social recognition tests, we demonstrated that adult male mice do not exhibit recognition of familiar stimuli or learn the identity of novel stimuli that are inactive due to anesthesia. We further revealed that impairing the olfactory, somatosensory or auditory systems prevents behavioral recognition of familiar stimuli. Finally, we found that familiar and novel stimuli generate distinct movement patterns during social discrimination and that subjects react differentially to the movement of these stimuli. Thus, unlike what occurs in humans, social recognition in mice relies on integration of information from several sensory modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shani Haskal de la Zerda
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Hen Magalnik
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Mayan Briller
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Dan Marzan
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Sigal Glatt
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yasmin Abergel
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
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14
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Effects of Social Housing on Dairy Calf Social Bonding. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12070821. [PMID: 35405811 PMCID: PMC8997003 DOI: 10.3390/ani12070821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Social housing for dairy calves has a range of benefits for social development, yet there is limited understanding of how social bonds form early in life. We characterized effects of early life social contact on the development of social preference for calves varying in familiarity. A total of 40 calves were tested in a social preference test at 4 weeks of age to assess the formation of social bonds and preference for their peers. Within an open-field social preference test, focal calves were presented with two stimulus calves, one ‘more familiar’ and one ‘less familiar’. We found that pair-housed calves spent more time in close proximity with either stimulus calf and had a greater preference for their pen-mate, compared to another calf reared within visual contact. Individually housed calves exhibited no preference for calves reared within visual but not physical contact compared to calves that were completely unfamiliar. Of the calves that approached both stimulus calves, individually housed calves that approached the ‘less familiar’ calf first spent less time near the ‘more familiar’ calf, whereas behavior of pair-housed calves was not affected by the first calf approached. These results suggest that physical contact is necessary for the development of social bonds in young dairy calves, and early life social housing may support the development of normal social behavior in dairy cattle.
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15
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Interspecific differences in sociability, social novelty preference, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors between Brandt's voles and C57BL/6J mice. Behav Processes 2022; 197:104624. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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16
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Kopachev N, Netser S, Wagner S. Sex-dependent features of social behavior differ between distinct laboratory mouse strains and their mixed offspring. iScience 2022; 25:103735. [PMID: 35098101 PMCID: PMC8783130 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival of individuals of gregarious species depends on their social interactions. In humans, atypical social behavior is a hallmark of several psychopathological conditions, many of which have sex-specific manifestations. Various laboratory mouse strains are used to reveal the mechanisms mediating typical and atypical social behavior in mammals. Here, we used three social discrimination tests to characterize social behavior in males and females of three widely used laboratory mouse strains (C57BL/6J, BALB/c, and ICR). We found marked sex- and strain-specific differences in the behavior exhibited by subjects, in a test-dependent manner. Interestingly, some characteristics were strain-dependent, while others were sex-dependent. We then crossbred C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice and found that offspring of such crossbreeding exhibit social behavior which differs from both parental strains and depends on the specific combination of parental strains. Thus, social behavior of laboratory mice is sex- and strain-specific and depends on both genetic and environmental factors. Social investigation behavior of laboratory mice is highly strain- and sex-specific Some behavioral aspects are either strain- or sex-specific, but not both Mixed offspring of distinct strains behave differently from both parental strains The behavior of mixed offspring depends on the specific combination of parents
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17
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Jabarin R, Levy N, Abergel Y, Berman JH, Zag A, Netser S, Levy AP, Wagner S. Pharmacological modulation of AMPA receptors rescues specific impairments in social behavior associated with the A350V Iqsec2 mutation. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:234. [PMID: 33888678 PMCID: PMC8062516 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01347-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study we tested the hypothesis that pharmacological modulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission could rescue behavioral deficits exhibited by mice carrying a specific mutation in the Iqsec2 gene. The IQSEC2 protein plays a key role in glutamatergic synapses and mutations in the IQSEC2 gene are a frequent cause of neurodevelopmental disorders. We have recently reported on the molecular pathophysiology of one such mutation A350V and demonstrated that this mutation downregulates AMPA type glutamatergic receptors (AMPAR) in A350V mice. Here we sought to identify behavioral deficits in A350V mice and hypothesized that we could rescue these deficits by PF-4778574, a positive AMPAR modulator. Using a battery of social behavioral tasks, we found that A350V Iqsec2 mice exhibit specific deficits in sex preference and emotional state preference behaviors as well as in vocalizations when encountering a female mouse. The social discrimination deficits, but not the impaired vocalization, were rescued with a single dose of PF-4778574. We conclude that social behavior deficits associated with the A350V Iqsec2 mutation may be rescued by enhancing AMPAR mediated synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renad Jabarin
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Nina Levy
- Technion Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yasmin Abergel
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Joshua H Berman
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Amir Zag
- Technion Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Andrew P Levy
- Technion Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
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18
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Rigobello C, Klein RM, Debiasi JD, Ursini LG, Michelin AP, Matsumoto AK, Barbosa DS, Moreira EG. Perinatal exposure to paracetamol: Dose and sex-dependent effects in behaviour and brain's oxidative stress markers in progeny. Behav Brain Res 2021; 408:113294. [PMID: 33836167 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Paracetamol (PAR) has been employed worldwide for pain and fever treatment during pregnancy and lactation. Epidemiologic studies have shown that exposure to PAR can increase the risk for developmental disorders, such as attention-deficit hyperactive disorder and autism spectrum disorder. This study aimed to investigate if gestational and lactational exposure to human-relevant doses of PAR could alter behavioural and brain oxidative stress parameters in the rat`s offspring. Wistar dams were gavaged daily with water or PAR (35 mg/kg/ or 350 mg/kg) during gestational day 6 to weaning (postnatal day 21). Behavioural assessments occurred at post-natal days 10 (nest seeking test), 27 (behavioural stereotypy) and 28 (three chamber sociability test and open field). Concentration of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were estimate in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum and cerebellum of 22-day-old rats. Compared to CON animals, males exposed to PAR during pregnancy and lactation augmented apomorphine-induced stereotyped behaviour (350 mg/kg) and ambulation in open-field test (35 mg/kg). Reduced exploratory behaviour in three chamber sociability test was observed in pups exposed to PAR at 350 mg/kg in both sexes. PAR treatment decreased hippocampal GSH level and striatal SOD activity in males exposed to 35 mg/kg, suggesting the vulnerability of these areas in PAR-induced developmental neurotoxicity. Findings suggest PAR use during pregnancy and lactation as a potential risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders with males being more susceptible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Rigobello
- Graduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Londrina, 86038-350, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Moreno Klein
- Graduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Londrina, 86038-350, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Juliana Diosti Debiasi
- Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Londrina, 86057-970, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Luis Guilherme Ursini
- Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Londrina, 86057-970, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Michelin
- Graduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Londrina, 86038-350, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Andressa Keiko Matsumoto
- Graduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Londrina, 86038-350, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Décio Sabbatini Barbosa
- Graduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Londrina, 86038-350, Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Estefânia Gastaldello Moreira
- Graduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Londrina, 86038-350, Londrina, PR, Brazil; Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Londrina, 86057-970, Londrina, PR, Brazil.
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19
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Levy G, Barak B. Postnatal therapeutic approaches in genetic neurodevelopmental disorders. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:414-422. [PMID: 32985459 PMCID: PMC7996025 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.293133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic neurodevelopmental disorders are characterized by abnormal neurophysiological and behavioral phenotypes, affecting individuals worldwide. While the subject has been heavily researched, current treatment options relate mostly to alleviating symptoms, rather than targeting the altered genome itself. In this review, we address the neurogenetic basis of neurodevelopmental disorders, genetic tools that are enabling precision research of these disorders in animal models, and postnatal gene-therapy approaches for neurodevelopmental disorders derived from preclinical studies in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilad Levy
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Boaz Barak
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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20
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Horiai M, Otsuka A, Hidema S, Hiraoka Y, Hayashi R, Miyazaki S, Furuse T, Mizukami H, Teruyama R, Tamura M, Bito H, Maejima Y, Shimomura K, Nishimori K. Targeting oxytocin receptor (Oxtr)-expressing neurons in the lateral septum to restore social novelty in autism spectrum disorder mouse models. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22173. [PMID: 33335150 PMCID: PMC7746761 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79109-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a continuum of neurodevelopmental disorders and needs new therapeutic approaches. Recently, oxytocin (OXT) showed potential as the first anti-ASD drug. Many reports have described the efficacy of intranasal OXT therapy to improve the core symptoms of patients with ASD; however, the underlying neurobiological mechanism remains unknown. The OXT/oxytocin receptor (OXTR) system, through the lateral septum (LS), contributes to social behavior, which is disrupted in ASD. Therefore, we selectively express hM3Dq in OXTR-expressing (OXTR+) neurons in the LS to investigate this effect in ASD mouse models developed by environmental and genetic cues. In mice that received valproic acid (environmental cue), we demonstrated successful recovery of impaired social memory with three-chamber test after OXTR+ neuron activation in the LS. Application of a similar strategy to Nl3R451C knock-in mice (genetic cue) also caused successful recovery of impaired social memory in single field test. OXTR+ neurons in the LS, which are activated by social stimuli, are projected to the CA1 region of the hippocampus. This study identified a candidate mechanism for improving core symptoms of ASD by artificial activation of DREADDs, as a simulation of OXT administration to activate OXTR+ neurons in the LS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Machi Horiai
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan
| | - Ayano Otsuka
- Department of Obesity and Internal Inflammation, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Shizu Hidema
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan.,Department of Obesity and Internal Inflammation, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.,Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Yuichi Hiraoka
- Laboratory for Molecular Neuroscience Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Ryotaro Hayashi
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan.,Innovation Center, Nippon Flour Mills Co., Ltd., 5-1-3 Midorigaoka, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 243-0041, Japan
| | - Shinji Miyazaki
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan
| | - Tamio Furuse
- Technology and Development Team for Mouse Phenotype Analysis, Japan Mouse Clinic, RIKEN BioResouce Reserch Center (BRC), 3-1-1 Koyadai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Mizukami
- Division of Genetic Therapeutics, Center for Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Ryoichi Teruyama
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Masaru Tamura
- Technology and Development Team for Mouse Phenotype Analysis, Japan Mouse Clinic, RIKEN BioResouce Reserch Center (BRC), 3-1-1 Koyadai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Bito
- Department of Neurochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yuko Maejima
- Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Kenju Shimomura
- Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Nishimori
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan. .,Department of Obesity and Internal Inflammation, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan. .,Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
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21
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Netser S, Meyer A, Magalnik H, Zylbertal A, de la Zerda SH, Briller M, Bizer A, Grinevich V, Wagner S. Distinct dynamics of social motivation drive differential social behavior in laboratory rat and mouse strains. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5908. [PMID: 33219219 PMCID: PMC7679456 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19569-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mice and rats are widely used to explore mechanisms of mammalian social behavior in health and disease, raising the question whether they actually differ in their social behavior. Here we address this question by directly comparing social investigation behavior between two mouse and rat strains used most frequently for behavioral studies and as models of neuropathological conditions: C57BL/6 J mice and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Employing novel experimental systems for behavioral analysis of both subjects and stimuli during the social preference test, we reveal marked differences in behavioral dynamics between the strains, suggesting stronger and faster induction of social motivation in SD rats. These different behavioral patterns, which correlate with distinctive c-Fos expression in social motivation-related brain areas, are modified by competition with non-social rewarding stimuli, in a strain-specific manner. Thus, these two strains differ in their social behavior, which should be taken into consideration when selecting an appropriate model organism. Laboratory rat and mouse strains serve as animal models to explore brain mechanisms underlying social behavior. Here, the authors describe differences in social behavior between commonly used rat and mouse strains, which may reflect distinct dynamics of social motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Ana Meyer
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, J5, 69159, Germany
| | - Hen Magalnik
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Asaph Zylbertal
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, WCE1 6BT, UK
| | - Shani Haskal de la Zerda
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Mayan Briller
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Alexander Bizer
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, J5, 69159, Germany
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
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22
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Sex-Specific Role for Dopamine Receptor D2 in Dorsal Raphe Serotonergic Neuron Modulation of Defensive Acoustic Startle and Dominance Behavior. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0202-20.2020. [PMID: 33214315 PMCID: PMC7768286 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0202-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain networks underlying states of social and sensory alertness are normally adaptive, influenced by serotonin and dopamine (DA), and abnormal in neuropsychiatric disorders, often with sex-specific manifestations. Underlying circuits, cells, and molecules are just beginning to be delineated. Implicated is a subtype of serotonergic neuron denoted Drd2-Pet1, distinguished by expression of the type-2 DA receptor (Drd2) gene, inhibited cell-autonomously by DRD2 agonism in slice, and, when constitutively silenced in male mice, affects levels of defensive and exploratory behaviors (Niederkofler et al., 2016). Unknown has been whether DRD2 signaling in these Pet1 neurons contributes to their capacity for shaping defensive behaviors. To address this, we generated mice in which Drd2 gene sequences were deleted selectively in Pet1 neurons. We found that Drd2Pet1-CKO males, but not females, demonstrated increased winning against sex-matched controls in a social dominance assay. Drd2Pet1-CKO females, but not males, exhibited blunting of the acoustic startle response, a protective, defensive reflex. Indistinguishable from controls were auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), locomotion, cognition, and anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors. Analyzing wild-type Drd2-Pet1 neurons, we found sex-specific differences in the proportional distribution of axonal collaterals, in action potential (AP) duration, and in transcript levels of Gad2, important for GABA synthesis. Drd2Pet1-CKO cells displayed sex-specific differences in the percentage of cells harboring Gad2 transcripts. Our results suggest that DRD2 function in Drd2-Pet1 neurons is required for normal defensive/protective behaviors in a sex-specific manner, which may be influenced by the identified sex-specific molecular and cellular features. Related behaviors in humans too show sex differences, suggesting translational relevance.
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23
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Shultz SR, McDonald SJ, Corrigan F, Semple BD, Salberg S, Zamani A, Jones NC, Mychasiuk R. Clinical Relevance of Behavior Testing in Animal Models of Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2020; 37:2381-2400. [DOI: 10.1089/neu.2018.6149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sandy R. Shultz
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stuart J. McDonald
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Frances Corrigan
- Department of Anatomy, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bridgette D. Semple
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sabrina Salberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Akram Zamani
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nigel C. Jones
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Scheggi S, Guzzi F, Braccagni G, De Montis MG, Parenti M, Gambarana C. Targeting PPARα in the rat valproic acid model of autism: focus on social motivational impairment and sex-related differences. Mol Autism 2020; 11:62. [PMID: 32718349 PMCID: PMC7385875 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00358-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The social motivational theory of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) focuses on social anhedonia as key causal feature of the impaired peer relationships that characterize ASD patients. ASD prevalence is higher in boys, but increasing evidence suggests underdiagnosis and undertreatment in girls. We showed that stress-induced motivational anhedonia is relieved by repeated treatment with fenofibrate (FBR), a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) agonist. Here, we used the valproic acid (VPA) model of ASD in rats to examine male and female phenotypes and assess whether FBR administration from weaning to young adulthood relieved social impairments. METHODS Male and female rats exposed to saline or VPA at gestational day 12.5 received standard or FBR-enriched diet from postnatal day 21 to 48-53, when behavioral tests and ex vivo neurochemical analyses were performed. Phosphorylation levels of DARPP-32 in response to social and nonsocial cues, as index of dopamine D1 receptor activation, levels of expression of PPARα, vesicular glutamatergic and GABAergic transporters, and postsynaptic density protein PSD-95 were analyzed by immunoblotting in selected brain regions. RESULTS FBR administration relieved social impairment and perseverative behavior in VPA-exposed male and female rats, but it was only effective on female stereotypies. Dopamine D1 receptor signaling triggered by social interaction in the nucleus accumbens shell was blunted in VPA-exposed rats, and it was rescued by FBR treatment only in males. VPA-exposed rats of both sexes exhibited an increased ratio of striatal excitatory over inhibitory synaptic markers that was normalized by FBR treatment. LIMITATIONS This study did not directly address the extent of motivational deficit in VPA-exposed rats and whether FBR administration restored the likely decreased motivation to operate for social reward. Future studies using operant behavior protocols will address this relevant issue. CONCLUSIONS The results support the involvement of impaired motivational mechanisms in ASD-like social deficits and suggest the rationale for a possible pharmacological treatment. Moreover, the study highlights sex-related differences in the expression of ASD-like symptoms and their differential responses to FBR treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Scheggi
- Department Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 2, Siena, Italy.
| | - Francesca Guzzi
- Department Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Giulia Braccagni
- Department Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 2, Siena, Italy
| | - Maria Graziella De Montis
- Department Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 2, Siena, Italy
| | - Marco Parenti
- Department Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Carla Gambarana
- Department Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 2, Siena, Italy
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25
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Social touch promotes interfemale communication via activation of parvocellular oxytocin neurons. Nat Neurosci 2020; 23:1125-1137. [PMID: 32719563 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-0674-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a great facilitator of social life but, although its effects on socially relevant brain regions have been extensively studied, OT neuron activity during actual social interactions remains unexplored. Most OT neurons are magnocellular neurons, which simultaneously project to the pituitary and forebrain regions involved in social behaviors. In the present study, we show that a much smaller population of OT neurons, parvocellular neurons that do not project to the pituitary but synapse onto magnocellular neurons, is preferentially activated by somatosensory stimuli. This activation is transmitted to the larger population of magnocellular neurons, which consequently show coordinated increases in their activity during social interactions between virgin female rats. Selectively activating these parvocellular neurons promotes social motivation, whereas inhibiting them reduces social interactions. Thus, parvocellular OT neurons receive particular inputs to control social behavior by coordinating the responses of the much larger population of magnocellular OT neurons.
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26
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Kayyal M, Javkar T, Firoz Mian M, Binyamin D, Koren O, McVey Neufeld KA, Forsythe P. Sex dependent effects of post-natal penicillin on brain, behavior and immune regulation are prevented by concurrent probiotic treatment. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10318. [PMID: 32587382 PMCID: PMC7316860 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67271-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing awareness of the need to consider potential long-term effects of antibiotics on the health of children. In addition to being associated with immune and metabolic diseases, there is evidence that early-life antibiotic exposure can affect neurodevelopment. Here we investigated the effect of low dose of penicillin V on mice when administered for 1 week immediately prior to weaning. We demonstrated that exposure to the antibiotic during the pre-weaning period led to long-term changes in social behaviour, but not anxiety-like traits, in male mice only. The change in behaviour of males was associated with decreased hippocampal expression of AVPR1A and AVPR1B while expression of both receptors was increased in females. Spleens of male mice also showed an increase in the proportion of activated dendritic cells and a corresponding decrease in regulatory T cells with penicillin exposure. All changes in brain, behaviour and immune cell populations, associated with penicillin exposure, were absent in mice that received L. rhamnosus JB-1 supplementation concurrent with the antibiotic. Our study indicates that post-natal exposure to a clinically relevant dose of antibiotic has long-term, sex dependent effects on the CNS and may have implications for the development of neuropsychiatric disorders. Importantly, we also provide further evidence that probiotic based strategies may be of use in counteracting detrimental effects of early-life antibiotics on neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marya Kayyal
- McMaster Brain-Body Institute at St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Tanvi Javkar
- McMaster Brain-Body Institute at St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
| | - M Firoz Mian
- McMaster Brain-Body Institute at St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Dana Binyamin
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Omry Koren
- The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Karen-Anne McVey Neufeld
- McMaster Brain-Body Institute at St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Paul Forsythe
- McMaster Brain-Body Institute at St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada.
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
- Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada.
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27
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Haskal de la Zerda S, Netser S, Magalnik H, Wagner S. Impaired sex preference, but not social and social novelty preferences, following systemic blockade of oxytocin receptors in adult male mice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 116:104676. [PMID: 32361188 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is a powerful modulator of mammalian social behavior and its administration was shown to affect various types of social interactions. However, systematic examinations of the role of endogenous OT release in social behavior have heretofore been done only using genetically modified animal models in which the genes encoding either OT or the OT receptor (OTR) were mutated. While such genetic manipulations revealed various behavioral deficits, these deficits may involve developmental or long-term processes and do not prove the participation of acute OT release in the impaired behavior. Here we used a battery of social discrimination tasks to evaluate the effects of acute systemic OTR blockade, using a non-peptide, orally active OTR antagonist (L368,899), on social behavior of adult male C57BL/6 J mice. We found no effect of the pharmacological manipulation on the social preference and social novelty preference behaviors. However, the preference of a male mouse for investigating a female conspecific more than a male (sex preference behavior), was lost by administration of the OTR antagonist. Finally, we found that blocking OTR activity before social defeat prevented the consequent loss of social preference, suggesting a role for OT in the acquisition of aversive social memory. Overall, our results suggest that OT plays a role in modulating the salience of social stimuli and facilitating their memory, as predicted by the social salience theory, rather than in regulating the internal motivation of the subject for social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shani Haskal de la Zerda
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Shai Netser
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Hen Magalnik
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Shlomo Wagner
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
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28
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Subhadeep D, Srikumar BN, Shankaranarayana Rao BS, Kutty BM. Short photoperiod restores ventral subicular lesion‐induced deficits in affective and socio‐cognitive behavior in male Wistar rats. J Neurosci Res 2020; 98:1114-1136. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Duttagupta Subhadeep
- Department of Neurophysiology National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bengaluru India
| | - Bettadapura N. Srikumar
- Department of Neurophysiology National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bengaluru India
| | | | - Bindu M. Kutty
- Department of Neurophysiology National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bengaluru India
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29
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Champagne-Jorgensen K, Mian MF, Kay S, Hanani H, Ziv O, McVey Neufeld KA, Koren O, Bienenstock J. Prenatal low-dose penicillin results in long-term sex-specific changes to murine behaviour, immune regulation, and gut microbiota. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 84:154-163. [PMID: 31785396 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that environmental disruptors of maternal microbes may have significant detrimental consequences for the developing fetus. Antibiotic exposure during early life can have long-term effects on neurodevelopment in mice and humans. Here we explore whether exposure to low-dose penicillin during only the last week of gestation in mice has long-term effects on offspring behaviour, brain, immune function, and gut microbiota. We found that this treatment had sex-specific effects in the adult mouse offspring. Female, but not male, mice demonstrated decreased anxiety-like behaviours, while male, but not female, mice had abnormal social behaviours which correlated with altered brain expression of AVPR1A, AVPR1B, and OXTR, and decreases in the balance of splenic FOXP3+ regulatory T cells. Prenatal penicillin exposure also led to distinct microbiota compositions that clustered differently by sex. These data suggest that exposure of pregnant mice to even a low dose of penicillin through only the last week before birth is nonetheless sufficient to induce long-term sex-specific developmental changes in both male and female offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Champagne-Jorgensen
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; McMaster Brain-Body Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - M Firoz Mian
- McMaster Brain-Body Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Sebastian Kay
- McMaster Brain-Body Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Hila Hanani
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Oren Ziv
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Karen-Anne McVey Neufeld
- McMaster Brain-Body Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Omry Koren
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - John Bienenstock
- McMaster Brain-Body Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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30
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Amodeo DA, Pahua AE, Zarate M, Taylor JA, Peterson S, Posadas R, Oliver BL, Amodeo LR. Differences in the expression of restricted repetitive behaviors in female and male BTBR T + tf/J mice. Behav Brain Res 2019; 372:112028. [PMID: 31212059 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by the expression of restricted repetitive behaviors (RRBs) and impairments in social recognition and communication. Epidemiological studies demonstrate males are three times more likely than females to be affected. Although this is the case, more recent studies suggest females may be underrepresented in these numbers due to standard clinical measures of RRBs and social behaviors. In addition, many studies examining mouse models of ASD exclude females due to the sex disparity in diagnoses. The present study examined how female and male BTBR T + Itpr3tf /J (BTBR) compare to control C57BL/6J mice on tests of RRBs (probabilistic reversal learning, repetitive grooming, spontaneous alternation, and marble burying) and social behaviors (three chambered social approach task). Utilizing a spatial reversal learning test with 80/20 probabilistic feedback, in which ASD individuals have exhibited deficits, we find that female BTBR mice do not show the same impairment found in male BTBR mice. Interestingly, control female C57BL/6J mice required more trials to reach criterion. Female BTBR mice expressed comparable rates of repetitive grooming, marble burying and spontaneous alternation compared to female C57BL/6J mice. Male BTBR mice expressed higher rates of grooming behavior and locomotor activity compared to male C57BL/6J mice, as found in previous studies. Similarly, male BTBR mice showed a reduction in both measures of social approach compared to controls. Both male and female BTBR mice showed a reduction in sniff time for the stranger mouse compared to controls. Together these findings demonstrate how female BTBR mice do not display the RRB profile expressed by male BTBR mice. Testing of repetitive behaviors in ASD needs to better reflect the sex differences in how RRBs manifest in females compared to their extensively researched male counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dionisio A Amodeo
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA, 92407, United States.
| | - Alma E Pahua
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA, 92407, United States
| | - Marta Zarate
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA, 92407, United States
| | - Jordan A Taylor
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA, 92407, United States
| | - Sophie Peterson
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA, 92407, United States
| | - Rebekah Posadas
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA, 92407, United States
| | - Brandon L Oliver
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA, 92407, United States
| | - Leslie R Amodeo
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA, 92407, United States
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31
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Wickens MM, Bangasser DA, Briand LA. Sex Differences in Psychiatric Disease: A Focus on the Glutamate System. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:197. [PMID: 29922129 PMCID: PMC5996114 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in glutamate, the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, are implicated in several psychiatric diseases. Many of these psychiatric diseases display epidemiological sex differences, with either males or females exhibiting different symptoms or disease prevalence. However, little work has considered the interaction of disrupted glutamatergic transmission and sex on disease states. This review describes the clinical and preclinical evidence for these sex differences with a focus on two conditions that are more prevalent in women: Alzheimer's disease and major depressive disorder, and three conditions that are more prevalent in men: schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These studies reveal sex differences at multiple levels in the glutamate system including metabolic markers, receptor levels, genetic interactions, and therapeutic responses to glutamatergic drugs. Our survey of the current literature revealed a considerable need for more evaluations of sex differences in future studies examining the role of the glutamate system in psychiatric disease. Gaining a more thorough understanding of how sex differences in the glutamate system contribute to psychiatric disease could provide novel avenues for the development of sex-specific pharmacotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan M Wickens
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Lisa A Briand
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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