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Dudas A, Nakahara TS, Pellissier LP, Chamero P. Parenting behaviors in mice: Olfactory mechanisms and features in models of autism spectrum disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105686. [PMID: 38657845 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Rodents, along with numerous other mammals, heavily depend on olfactory cues to navigate their social interactions. Processing of olfactory sensory inputs is mediated by conserved brain circuits that ultimately trigger social behaviors, such as social interactions and parental care. Although innate, parenting is influenced by internal states, social experience, genetics, and the environment, and any significant disruption of these factors can impact the social circuits. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms and social circuits from the olfactory epithelium to central processing that initiate parental behaviors and their dysregulations that may contribute to the social impairments in mouse models of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We discuss recent advances of the crucial role of olfaction in parental care, its consequences for social interactions, and the reciprocal influence on social interaction impairments in mouse models of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Dudas
- Team biology of GPCR Signaling systems (BIOS), CNRS, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, Nouzilly F-37380, France
| | - Thiago S Nakahara
- Team Neuroendocrine Integration of Reproduction and Behavior (INERC), CNRS, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, Nouzilly F-37380, France
| | - Lucie P Pellissier
- Team biology of GPCR Signaling systems (BIOS), CNRS, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, Nouzilly F-37380, France.
| | - Pablo Chamero
- Team Neuroendocrine Integration of Reproduction and Behavior (INERC), CNRS, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, Nouzilly F-37380, France.
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2
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Pardo GVE, Alfaro Saca EE, Becerra Flores CT, Delgado Casós WF, Pacheco-Otalora LF. Limited bedding nesting paradigm alters maternal behavior and pup's early developmental milestones but did not induce anxiety- or depressive-like behavior in two different inbred mice. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22357. [PMID: 36567650 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Animal models are crucial to understanding the mechanisms underlying the deleterious consequences of early-life stress. Here, we aimed to examine the effect of the limited bedding nesting (LBN) paradigm on early life development milestones and anxiety- and/or depression-like behavior in adolescent and adult mice from two inbred mice of both sexes. C57BL/6NCrl and BALB/c litters were exposed to the LBN paradigm postnatal day (PND) 2-9. Maternal behavior recording occurred on PND 3-9, and pups were weighed daily and examined to verify the eye-opening on PND 10-22. The male and female offspring underwent evaluation in the open field test, elevated plus-maze, and the forced swimming test during adolescence (PND 45-49) and adulthood (PND 75-79). We found that LBN impaired the maternal behavior patterns of both strain dams, mainly on C57BL/6NCrl strain. Also, LBN delayed the pup's eye-opening time and reduced body weight gain, impacting C57BL/6NCrl pups more. We also found that LBN decreased anxiety-related indices in adolescent and adult male but not female mice of both strains. Furthermore, LBN decreased depression-related indices only adolescent female and male BALB/c and female but not male C57BL/6NCrl mice. These findings reinforce the evidence that the LBN paradigm impairs the maternal behavior pattern and pup's early developmental milestones but does not induce anxiety- or depressive-like behavior outcomes during later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace V E Pardo
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Neurociencia, Instituto Científico de Investigación, Universidad Andina del Cusco, Cuzco, Peru
| | - Eros Emanuel Alfaro Saca
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Neurociencia, Instituto Científico de Investigación, Universidad Andina del Cusco, Cuzco, Peru
| | | | - Walter Fares Delgado Casós
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Neurociencia, Instituto Científico de Investigación, Universidad Andina del Cusco, Cuzco, Peru
| | - Luis F Pacheco-Otalora
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Neurociencia, Instituto Científico de Investigación, Universidad Andina del Cusco, Cuzco, Peru
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Roudmajani EG, Goudarzvand M, Roodbari NH, Parivar K. Astaxanthin ameliorates the impairment consequence of prenatal bacterial lipopolysaccharide exposure in adult male offspring NMRI mice. Physiol Behav 2022; 257:113993. [PMID: 36240864 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the potential effects of astaxanthin (AST) were investigated on preventing the prenatal LPS-induced injures in mothers and adult male offspring of NMRI mice. Pregnant mice were randomly divided into four groups: 1. Saline + vehicle; 2. Saline + AST: received astaxanthin (4 mg/kg for 3 days, ip) on 11-13 gestation days; 3. LPS + vehicle (LPS-treated group): injected with LPS (20 µg/kg, sc) on gestation day 11; 4. LPS + AST: administrated LPS and astaxanthin on gestation days 11 and 11-13, respectively. In each group, maternal care behaviors and TNF-α serum levels were examined until weaning of male offspring at 23 days. At 60 days old, male pups underwent analysis of body weight and length, serum gonadotropins and testosterone hormone levels, sperm quality, gonadal and brain tissues morphologies, and the expression of SOX9 and GnRH genes by real-time PCR. Serum TNF-α level increased significantly in mothers treated with LPS, while AST reduced it. In adult male offspring, serum hormone levels, sperm quality, and the number of spermatocytes and Leydig cells in the testes improved when AST was administrated. According to histological studies of the brain, neurons in the LPS-treated group were smaller and less active, whereas neurons in the LPS + AST group were larger, more numerous, and more active. LPS significantly reduced GnRH expression, while AST induction improved its expression. AST administration during pregnancy prevented the adverse effects of prenatal exposure to LPS, presumably through its genomic and non-genomic effects, in adult male offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mahdi Goudarzvand
- Physiology and Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Alborz, Iran.
| | - Nasim Hayati Roodbari
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad university, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kazem Parivar
- Cell and Developmental Biology Faculty Member, Islamic Azad university Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
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Wallace K, Bowles T, Griffin A, Robinson R, Solis L, Railey T, Shaffery JP, Araji S, Spencer SK. Evidence of Anxiety, Depression and Learning Impairments following Prenatal Hypertension. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:bs12020053. [PMID: 35200304 PMCID: PMC8869594 DOI: 10.3390/bs12020053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, such as Preeclampsia (PreE) and HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme, low platelet) syndrome, affects approximately 5–10% of pregnancies and increases the risk of women developing disorders, such as anxiety or depression, in the postpartum period. Using preclinical rodent models, we set out to determine whether rats with a history of PreE or HELLP had evidence of anxiety, depression or cognitive impairment and whether immune suppression during pregnancy prevented these changes in mood and/or cognition. Methods: Timed-pregnant rats were infused with sFlt-1 and/or sEng to induce PreE or HELLP beginning on gestational day 12. After delivery, a battery of validated behavioral assays was used to assess post-partum depression, anxiety and learning. Results: There was no negative effect on maternal pup interaction due to PreE or HELLP; however, hypertensive dams spent more time immobile in the forced swim test (p < 0.0001). Hypertensive dams also spent less time in the open area of the open field (p = 0.001). There were no significant changes in recognition memory (p = 0.08); however, spatial learning was impaired in hypertensive dams (p = 0.003). Immobility time in the forced swim test was positively correlated with increased circulating S100B (p = 0.04), while increased time spent in the outer zones of the open field was negatively correlated with BDNF levels (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The results from this study suggest that hypertensive pregnancy disorders are associated with depression, anxiety and learning impairments in the post-partum period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kedra Wallace
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA; (T.B.); (R.R.); (L.S.); (T.R.); (S.A.)
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomical Sciences, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Teylor Bowles
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA; (T.B.); (R.R.); (L.S.); (T.R.); (S.A.)
| | - Ashley Griffin
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
| | - Reanna Robinson
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA; (T.B.); (R.R.); (L.S.); (T.R.); (S.A.)
| | - Lucia Solis
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA; (T.B.); (R.R.); (L.S.); (T.R.); (S.A.)
| | - Teryn Railey
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA; (T.B.); (R.R.); (L.S.); (T.R.); (S.A.)
| | - James P. Shaffery
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
| | - Sarah Araji
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA; (T.B.); (R.R.); (L.S.); (T.R.); (S.A.)
| | - Shauna-Kay Spencer
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA; (T.B.); (R.R.); (L.S.); (T.R.); (S.A.)
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de Souza JA, da Silva MC, de Souza Ferraz Junior JC, de Souza FL, de Souza SL. Maternal separation in the light or dark phase of the circadian cycle has different effects on the corticosterone levels and anxiety-like behavior in male adult rats. Physiol Behav 2022; 247:113725. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Maternal Opioid Exposure Culminates in Perturbed Murine Neurodevelopment and Hyperactive Phenotype in Adolescence. Neuroscience 2021; 463:272-287. [PMID: 33811940 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Opioid use by women during pregnancy has risen dramatically since 2004, accompanied by a striking increase in the prevalence of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) and other long-term neurological deficits. However, the mechanisms underlying the impact of prenatal opioid exposure on fetal neurodevelopment are largely unknown. To translate from the clinical presentation, we developed a novel mouse model to study the neurodevelopmental consequences of maternal opioid use and management. Female mice were treated with oxycodone (OXY) before mating to mimic opioid use disorder (OUD) in humans. Following pregnancy confirmation, dams were switched to buprenorphine (BUP) via oral administration, simulating medication management of OUD (MOUD) in pregnant women. Here, we document critical changes in fetal brain development including reduced cortical thickness, altered corticogenesis, and ventriculomegaly in embryos from dams that were treated with opioids before and throughout pregnancy. Maternal care giving behavior was slightly altered without affecting gross growth of offspring. However, adolescent offspring exposed to maternal opioid use during pregnancy exhibited hyperactivity in late adolescence. Remarkably, we also show increased generation of dopaminergic neurons within the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of mice exposed to prenatal opioids. These data provide critical evidence of teratogenic effects of opioid use during pregnancy and suggest a causal relationship between maternal opioid use and neurodevelopmental/behavioral anomalies in adolescence.
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Gerasimenko M, Lopatina O, Munesue S, Harashima A, Yokoyama S, Yamamoto Y, Higashida H. Receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) plays a critical role in retrieval behavior of mother mice at early postpartum. Physiol Behav 2021; 235:113395. [PMID: 33757778 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is a pattern recognition molecule belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, and it plays a role in the remodeling of endothelial cells under pathological conditions. Recently, it was shown that RAGE is a binding protein for oxytocin (OT) and a transporter of OT to the brain on neurovascular endothelial cells via blood circulation. Deletion of the mouse RAGE gene, Ager (RAGE KO), induces hyperactivity in male mice. Impairment of pup care by mother RAGE KO mice after stress exposure results in the death of neonates 1-2 days after pup birth. Therefore, to understand the role of RAGE during the postpartum period, this study aims to examine parental behavior in female RAGE KO mice and ultrasonic vocalizations in pups. RAGE KO mothers without stress before delivery raised their pups and displayed hyperactivity at postpartum day (PPD) 3. KO dams showed impaired retrieval or interaction behavior after additional stress, such as body restraint stress or exposure to a novel environment, but such impaired behavior disappeared at PPD 7. Postnatal day 3 pups emitted ultrasonic vocalizations at >60 kHz as a part of the mother-pup relationship, but the number and category of calls by RAGE KO pups were significantly lower than wild-type pups. The results indicate that RAGE is important in the manifestation of normal parental behavior in dams and for receiving maternal care by mouse pups; moreover, brain OT recruited by RAGE plays a role in damping of signals of additional external stress and endogenous stress during the early postpartum period. Thus, RAGE-dependent OT may be critical for initiating and maintaining the normal mother-child relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gerasimenko
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
| | - Olga Lopatina
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan; Laboratory for Social Brain Studies, Research Institute of Molecular Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, and Department of Biochemistry, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University named after Prof. V. F. Voino-Yasentsky, Krasnoyarsk 660022, Russian Federation
| | - Seiichi Munesue
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Vascular Biology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Ai Harashima
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Vascular Biology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Shigeru Yokoyama
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Yamamoto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Vascular Biology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan; Laboratory for Social Brain Studies, Research Institute of Molecular Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, and Department of Biochemistry, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University named after Prof. V. F. Voino-Yasentsky, Krasnoyarsk 660022, Russian Federation.
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Alipio JB, Brockett AT, Fox ME, Tennyson SS, deBettencourt CA, El-Metwally D, Francis NA, Kanold PO, Lobo MK, Roesch MR, Keller A. Enduring consequences of perinatal fentanyl exposure in mice. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12895. [PMID: 32187805 PMCID: PMC7897444 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Opioid use by pregnant women is an understudied consequence associated with the opioid epidemic, resulting in a rise in the incidence of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) and lifelong neurobehavioral deficits that result from perinatal opioid exposure. There are few preclinical models that accurately recapitulate human perinatal drug exposure and few focus on fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid that is a leading driver of the opioid epidemic. To investigate the consequences of perinatal opioid exposure, we administered fentanyl to mouse dams in their drinking water throughout gestation and until litters were weaned at postnatal day (PD) 21. Fentanyl-exposed dams delivered smaller litters and had higher litter mortality rates compared with controls. Metrics of maternal care behavior were not affected by the treatment, nor were there differences in dams' weight or liquid consumption throughout gestation and 21 days postpartum. Twenty-four hours after weaning and drug cessation, perinatal fentanyl-exposed mice exhibited signs of spontaneous somatic withdrawal behavior and sex-specific weight fluctuations that normalized in adulthood. At adolescence (PD 35), they displayed elevated anxiety-like behaviors and decreased grooming, assayed in the elevated plus maze and sucrose splash tests. Finally, by adulthood (PD 55), they displayed impaired performance in a two-tone auditory discrimination task. Collectively, our findings suggest that perinatal fentanyl-exposed mice exhibit somatic withdrawal behavior and change into early adulthood reminiscent of humans born with NOWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason B. Alipio
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adam T. Brockett
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Megan E. Fox
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephen S. Tennyson
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | | | - Dina El-Metwally
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nikolas A. Francis
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Institute for Systems Research, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Patrick O. Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Institute for Systems Research, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthew R. Roesch
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Asaf Keller
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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9
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Jiménez JA, Zylka MJ. Controlling litter effects to enhance rigor and reproducibility with rodent models of neurodevelopmental disorders. J Neurodev Disord 2021; 13:2. [PMID: 33397279 PMCID: PMC7780384 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-020-09353-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Research with rodents is crucial for expanding our understanding of genetic and environmental risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). However, there is growing concern about the number of animal studies that are difficult to replicate, potentially undermining the validity of results. These concerns have prompted funding agencies and academic journals to implement more rigorous standards in an effort to increase reproducibility in research. However, these standards fail to address a major source of variability in rodent research brought on by the “litter effect,” the fact that rodents from the same litter are phenotypically more similar to one other than rodents from different litters of the same strain. We show that the litter effect accounts for 30–60% of the variability associated with commonly studied phenotypes, including brain, placenta, and body weight. Moreover, we show how failure to control for litter-to-litter variation can mask a phenotype in Chd8V986*/+ mice that model haploinsufficiency of CHD8, a high-confidence autism gene. Thus, if not properly controlled, the litter effect has the potential to negatively influence rigor and reproducibility of NDD research. While efforts have been made to educate scientists on the importance of controlling for litter effects in previous publications, our analysis of the recent literature (2015–2020) shows that the vast majority of NDD studies focused on genetic risks, including mutant mouse studies, and environmental risks, such as air pollution and valproic acid exposure, do not correct for litter effects or report information on the number of litters used. We outline best practices to help scientists minimize the impact of litter-to-litter variability and to enhance rigor and reproducibility in future NDD studies using rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Jiménez
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Mark J Zylka
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. .,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. .,Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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10
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Moore SJ, Murphy GG, Cazares VA. Turning strains into strengths for understanding psychiatric disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:3164-3177. [PMID: 32404949 PMCID: PMC7666068 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0772-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There is a paucity in the development of new mechanistic insights and therapeutic approaches for treating psychiatric disease. One of the major challenges is reflected in the growing consensus that risk for these diseases is not determined by a single gene, but rather is polygenic, arising from the action and interaction of multiple genes. Canonically, experimental models in mice have been designed to ascertain the relative contribution of a single gene to a disease by systematic manipulation (e.g., mutation or deletion) of a known candidate gene. Because these studies have been largely carried out using inbred isogenic mouse strains, in which there is no (or very little) genetic diversity among subjects, it is difficult to identify unique allelic variants, gene modifiers, and epigenetic factors that strongly affect the nature and severity of these diseases. Here, we review various methods that take advantage of existing genetic diversity or that increase genetic variance in mouse models to (1) strengthen conclusions of single-gene function; (2) model diversity among human populations; and (3) dissect complex phenotypes that arise from the actions of multiple genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon J Moore
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute & Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Geoffrey G Murphy
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute & Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Victor A Cazares
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute & Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Zoubovsky SP, Hoseus S, Tumukuntala S, Schulkin JO, Williams MT, Vorhees CV, Muglia LJ. Chronic psychosocial stress during pregnancy affects maternal behavior and neuroendocrine function and modulates hypothalamic CRH and nuclear steroid receptor expression. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:6. [PMID: 32066677 PMCID: PMC7026416 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0704-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) affects up to 20% of mothers and has negative consequences for both mother and child. Although exposure to psychosocial stress during pregnancy and abnormalities in the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis have been linked to PPD, molecular changes in the brain that contribute to this disease remain unknown. This study utilized a novel chronic psychosocial stress paradigm during pregnancy (CGS) to investigate the effects of psychosocial stress on maternal behavior, neuroendocrine function, and gene expression changes in molecular regulators of the HPA axis in the early postpartum period. Postpartum female mice exposed to CGS display abnormalities in maternal behavior, including fragmented and erratic maternal care patterns, and the emergence of depression and anxiety-like phenotypes. Dysregulation in postpartum HPA axis function, evidenced by blunted circadian peak and elevation of stress-induced corticosterone levels, was accompanied by increased CRH mRNA expression and a reduction in CRH receptor 1 in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). We further observed decreased PVN expression of nuclear steroid hormone receptors associated with CRH transcription, suggesting these molecular changes could underlie abnormalities in postpartum HPA axis and behavior observed. Overall, our study demonstrates that psychosocial stress during pregnancy induces changes in neuroendocrine function and maternal behavior in the early postpartum period and introduces our CGS paradigm as a viable model that can be used to further dissect the molecular defects that lead to PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra P Zoubovsky
- Center for the Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Sarah Hoseus
- Center for the Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Shivani Tumukuntala
- Center for the Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jay O Schulkin
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael T Williams
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Charles V Vorhees
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Louis J Muglia
- Center for the Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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Maternal stress in Shank3ex4-9 mice increases pup-directed care and alters brain white matter in male offspring. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224876. [PMID: 31703095 PMCID: PMC6839842 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene-environment interactions contribute to the risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Among environmental factors, prenatal exposure to stress may increase the risk for ASD. To examine if there is an interaction between exposure to maternal stress and reduced dosage or loss of Shank3, wild-type (WT), heterozygous (HET) and homozygous (HOM) female mice carrying a deletion of exons four through nine of Shank3 (Shank3ex4-9) were exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) from prior to conception throughout gestation. This study examined maternal care of these dams and the white matter microstructure in the brains of their adult male offspring. Overall, our findings suggest that maternal exposure to CUMS increased pup-directed care for dams of all three genotypes. Compared to WT and HET dams, HOM dams also exhibited increased maternal care behaviors with increased time spent in the nest and reduced cage exploration, regardless of exposure to CUMS. Diffusion tensor imaging showed higher mean fractional anisotropy in the hippocampal stratum radiatum of WT and HOM male offspring from dams exposed to CUMS and HOM offspring from unexposed dams, compared to WT male offspring from unexposed dams. These data support that CUMS in Shank3-mutant dams results in subtle maternal care alterations and long-lasting changes in the white matter of the hippocampus of their offspring.
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13
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Jurek B, Chayka M, Kreye J, Lang K, Kraus L, Fidzinski P, Kornau HC, Dao LM, Wenke NK, Long M, Rivalan M, Winter Y, Leubner J, Herken J, Mayer S, Mueller S, Boehm-Sturm P, Dirnagl U, Schmitz D, Kölch M, Prüss H. Human gestational N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor autoantibodies impair neonatal murine brain function. Ann Neurol 2019; 86:656-670. [PMID: 31325344 DOI: 10.1002/ana.25552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Maternal autoantibodies are a risk factor for impaired brain development in offspring. Antibodies (ABs) against the NR1 (GluN1) subunit of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) are among the most frequently diagnosed anti-neuronal surface ABs, yet little is known about effects on fetal development during pregnancy. METHODS We established a murine model of in utero exposure to human recombinant NR1 and isotype-matched nonreactive control ABs. Pregnant C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected on embryonic days 13 and 17 each with 240μg of human monoclonal ABs. Offspring were investigated for acute and chronic effects on NMDAR function, brain development, and behavior. RESULTS Transferred NR1 ABs enriched in the fetus and bound to synaptic structures in the fetal brain. Density of NMDAR was considerably reduced (up to -49.2%) and electrophysiological properties were altered, reflected by decreased amplitudes of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents in young neonates (-34.4%). NR1 AB-treated animals displayed increased early postnatal mortality (+27.2%), impaired neurodevelopmental reflexes, altered blood pH, and reduced bodyweight. During adolescence and adulthood, animals showed hyperactivity (+27.8% median activity over 14 days), lower anxiety, and impaired sensorimotor gating. NR1 ABs caused long-lasting neuropathological effects also in aged mice (10 months), such as reduced volumes of cerebellum, midbrain, and brainstem. INTERPRETATION The data collectively support a model in which asymptomatic mothers can harbor low-level pathogenic human NR1 ABs that are diaplacentally transferred, causing neurotoxic effects on neonatal development. Thus, AB-mediated network changes may represent a potentially treatable neurodevelopmental congenital brain disorder contributing to lifelong neuropsychiatric morbidity in affected children. ANN NEUROL 2019;86:656-670.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty Jurek
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mariya Chayka
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jakob Kreye
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Lang
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Larissa Kraus
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Clinical and Experimental Epileptology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pawel Fidzinski
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Clinical and Experimental Epileptology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hans-Christian Kornau
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Neuroscience Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Le-Minh Dao
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina K Wenke
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Melissa Long
- Neurocure Cluster of Excellence, Animal Outcome Core Facility, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marion Rivalan
- Neurocure Cluster of Excellence, Animal Outcome Core Facility, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - York Winter
- Neurocure Cluster of Excellence, Animal Outcome Core Facility, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonas Leubner
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Herken
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Mayer
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research and Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Susanne Mueller
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Neurocure Cluster of Excellence, Core Facility 7T Experimental MRIs, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Stroke Research, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Boehm-Sturm
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Neurocure Cluster of Excellence, Core Facility 7T Experimental MRIs, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Stroke Research, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrich Dirnagl
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Stroke Research, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dietmar Schmitz
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Neuroscience Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Einstein Center for Neurosciences, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Kölch
- Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Neurology, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Universitätsmedizin Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Harald Prüss
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Center for Autoimmune Encephalitis and Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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14
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Keller SM, Doherty TS, Roth TL. Pharmacological manipulation of DNA methylation normalizes maternal behavior, DNA methylation, and gene expression in dams with a history of maltreatment. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10253. [PMID: 31311968 PMCID: PMC6635500 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46539-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The quality of parental care received during development profoundly influences an individual's phenotype, including that of maternal behavior. We previously found that female rats with a history of maltreatment during infancy mistreat their own offspring. One proposed mechanism through which early-life experiences influence behavior is via epigenetic modifications. Indeed, our lab has identified a number of brain epigenetic alterations in female rats with a history of maltreatment. Here we sought to investigate the role of DNA methylation in aberrant maternal behavior. We administered zebularine, a drug known to alter DNA methylation, to dams exposed during infancy to the scarcity-adversity model of low nesting resources, and then characterized the quality of their care towards their offspring. First, we replicate that dams with a history of maltreatment mistreat their own offspring. Second, we show that maltreated-dams treated with zebularine exhibit lower levels of adverse care toward their offspring. Third, we show that administration of zebularine in control dams (history of nurturing care) enhances levels of adverse care. Lastly, we show altered methylation and gene expression in maltreated dams normalized by zebularine. These findings lend support to the hypothesis that epigenetic alterations resulting from maltreatment causally relate to behavioral outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Keller
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Tiffany S Doherty
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Tania L Roth
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA.
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15
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Ghosh S, Sinha JK, Khandelwal N, Chakravarty S, Kumar A, Raghunath M. Increased stress and altered expression of histone modifying enzymes in brain are associated with aberrant behaviour in vitamin B12 deficient female mice. Nutr Neurosci 2018; 23:714-723. [PMID: 30474509 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2018.1548676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
A sub-optimal nutritional environment from early life can be envisaged as a stressor that translates into mental health problems in adulthood. After considering (a) the widespread prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency especially amongst women in developing countries and (b) the importance of vitamin B12 in normal brain function, in this study we have elucidated the behavioural correlates of chronic severe and moderate vitamin B12 deficiency in C57BL/6 mice. Female weanling mice were assigned to three dietary groups: (a) control AIN-76A diet with cellulose as dietary fibre (b) vitamin B12 restricted AIN-76A diet with pectin as dietary fibre (severe deficiency group) and (c) vitamin B12 restricted AIN-76A diet with cellulose as dietary fibre (moderate deficiency group). The mice received these diets throughout pregnancy, lactation and thereafter. Nest-building, maternal care, anxiety and depressive behaviours were evaluated. Oxidative stress, activities of antioxidant enzymes and expression of various histone modifying enzymes in brain were investigated to unravel the probable underlying mechanisms. Our data suggests that both severe and moderate vitamin B12 deficiency induced anxiety and impaired maternal care. However, only severe vitamin B12 deficiency induced depression. Oxidative stress and poor antioxidant defense underlie the deleterious effects of both severe and moderate vitamin B12 deficiency. Altered expression of histone modifying enzymes in the brain of severely deficient mice is suggestive of epigenetic reprogramming. This study suggests that chronic vitamin B12 deficiency leads to behavioural anomalies in female C57BL/6 mice and the severity of these outcomes can be correlated to the level of deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shampa Ghosh
- National Institute of Nutrition, ICMR, Hyderabad 500007, India
| | - Jitendra Kumar Sinha
- National Institute of Nutrition, ICMR, Hyderabad 500007, India.,CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, India.,Amity Institute of Neuropsychology and Neurosciences (AINN), Amity University UP, Noida 201303, India
| | - Nitin Khandelwal
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, India
| | | | - Arvind Kumar
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, India
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16
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Avraham Y, Hants Y, Vorobeiv L, Staum M, Abu Ahmad W, Mankuta D, Galun E, Arbel-Alon S. Brain neurotransmitters in an animal model with postpartum depressive-like behavior. Behav Brain Res 2017; 326:307-321. [PMID: 28300619 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Post-Partum Depression (PPD) occurs in 15% of pregnancies and its patho-physiology is not known. We studied female BALB/c ("depressive") and C57BL/6 (control) mice as a model for PPD and assessed their behavior and correlates with brain neurotransmitters (NTs) - norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin and intermediates, during the pre-pregnancy (PREP), pregnancy (PREG) and post-partum (PP) periods. Depressive-like behavior was evaluated by the Open Field (OFT), Tail Suspension (TST) and Forced Swim (FST) tests. Neurotransmitters (NTs) were determined in the striatum (care-giving), hippocampus (cognitive function) and hypothalamus (maternal care & eating behavior). In the BALB/c mice, while their performance in all behavioral tests was significantly reduced during pregnancy and P-P indicative of the development of depressive-like responses, no changes were observed in the C57BL/6 mice. Changes in NTs in BALB/C were as follows: PREP, all NTs in the three brain areas were decreased, although an increase in dopamine release was observed in the hippocampus. PREG: No changes were observed in the NTs except for a decrease in 5-HT in the striatum. P-P: striatum, low 5-HT, NE and dopamine; Hippocampus: low 5-HT, NE and high Dopamine; hypothalamus: all NTs increased, especially NE. Following pregnancy and delivery, the BALB/c mice developed depressive-like behavior associated with a significant decrease in 5-HT, dopamine and NE in the striatum and 5-HT and NE in the hippocampus. Dopamine increased in the latter together with a significant increase in all NTs in the hypothalamus. These findings suggest that the development of PPD may be associated with NT changes. Normalization of these alterations may have a role in the treatment of PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Avraham
- Department of Metabolism and Human Nutrition, Braun School of Public Health, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Y Hants
- Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - L Vorobeiv
- Department of Metabolism and Human Nutrition, Braun School of Public Health, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - M Staum
- Department of Metabolism and Human Nutrition, Braun School of Public Health, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Wiessam Abu Ahmad
- Department of Metabolism and Human Nutrition, Braun School of Public Health, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - D Mankuta
- Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - E Galun
- Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - S Arbel-Alon
- Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
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17
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Paternal environmental enrichment transgenerationally alters affective behavioral and neuroendocrine phenotypes. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 77:225-235. [PMID: 28104556 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated that paternal stress in rodents can result in modification of offspring behavior. Environmental enrichment, which enhances cognitive stimulation and physical activity, modifies various behaviors and reduces stress responses in adult rodents. We investigated the transgenerational influence of paternal environmental enrichment on offspring behavior and physiological stress response. Adult C57BL/6J male mice (F0) were exposed to either environmental enrichment or standard housing for four weeks and then pair-mated with naïve females. The F2 generation was generated using F1 male offspring. Male and female F1 and F2 offspring were tested for anxiety using the elevated-plus maze and large open field at 8 weeks of age. Depression-related behavior was assessed using the forced-swim test. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function was determined by quantification of serum corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels at baseline and after forced-swim stress. Paternal environmental enrichment was associated with increased body weights of male F1 and F2 offspring. There was no significant effect on F1 offspring anxiety and depression-related behaviors. There were no changes in anxiety-related behaviors in the F2 offspring, however these mice displayed a reduced latency to immobility in the forced-swim test. Furthermore, F2 females had significantly higher serum corticosterone levels post-stress, but not ACTH. These results show that paternal environmental enrichment exerts a sex-specific transgenerational impact on the behavioral and physiological response to stress. Our findings have implications for the modelling of psychiatric disorders in rodents.
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18
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Quinnies KM, Harris EP, Snyder RW, Sumner SS, Rissman EF. Direct and transgenerational effects of low doses of perinatal di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on social behaviors in mice. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0171977. [PMID: 28199414 PMCID: PMC5310861 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is an endocrine disrupting chemical commonly used as a plasticizer in medical equipment, food packaging, flooring, and children’s toys. DEHP exposure during early development has been associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in children. In animal models, early exposure to DEHP results in abnormal development of the reproductive system as well as altered behavior and neurodevelopment. Based on these data, we hypothesized that developmental exposure to DEHP would decrease social interactions and increase anxiety-like behaviors in mice in a dose-dependent manner, and that the effects would persist over generations. C57BL/6J mice consumed one of three DEHP doses (0, 5, 40, and 400 μg/kg body weight) throughout pregnancy and during the first ten days of lactation. The two higher doses yielded detectable levels of DEHP metabolites in serum. Pairs of mice from control, low, and high DEHP doses were bred to create three dose lineages in the third generation (F3). Average anogenital index (AGI: anogenital distance/body weight) was decreased in F1 males exposed to the low dose of DEHP and in F1 females exposed to the highest dose. In F1 mice, juvenile pairs from the two highest DEHP dose groups displayed fewer socially investigative behaviors and more exploratory behaviors as compared with control mice. The effect of DEHP on these behaviors was reversed in F3 mice as compared with F1 mice. F1 mice exposed to low and medium DEHP doses spent more time in the closed arms of the elevated plus maze than controls, indicating increased anxiety-like behavior. The generation-dependent effects on behavior and AGI suggest complex mechanisms by which DEHP directly impacts reproductive and neurobehavioral development and influences germline-inherited traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla M. Quinnies
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Erin P. Harris
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Rodney W. Snyder
- Discovery Science Technology, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Susan S. Sumner
- Discovery Science Technology, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Emilie F. Rissman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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19
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Ashbrook DG, Hager R. Social Interactions and Indirect Genetic Effects on Complex Juvenile and Adult Traits. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1488:499-517. [PMID: 27933541 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6427-7_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Most animal species are social in one form or another, yet many studies in rodent model systems use either individually housed animals or ignore potential confounds caused by group housing. While such social interaction effects on developmental and behavioral traits are well established, the genetic basis of social interactions has not been researched in as much detail. Specifically, the effects of genetic variation in social partners on the phenotype of a focal individual have mostly been studied at the phenotypic level. Such indirect genetic effects (IGEs), where the genotype of one individual influences the phenotype of a second individual, can have important evolutionary and medically relevant consequences. In this chapter, we give a brief outline of social interaction effects, and how systems genetics approaches using recombinant inbred populations can be used to investigate indirect genetic effects specifically, including maternal genetic effects. We discuss experimental designs for the study of IGEs and show how indirect genetic loci can be identified that underlie social interaction effects, their mechanisms, and consequences for trait variation in focal individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Ashbrook
- Dept. of Biological Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough Science Wing, SW3261265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, M1C, UK
| | - Reinmar Hager
- Department of Computational and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, C1.261 Michael Smith Bldg., Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
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20
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Elevated paternal glucocorticoid exposure alters the small noncoding RNA profile in sperm and modifies anxiety and depressive phenotypes in the offspring. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e837. [PMID: 27300263 PMCID: PMC4931607 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that physiological and behavioral traits may be transgenerationally inherited through the paternal lineage, possibly via non-genomic signals derived from the sperm. To investigate how paternal stress might influence offspring behavioral phenotypes, a model of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation was used. Male breeders were administered water supplemented with corticosterone (CORT) for 4 weeks before mating with untreated female mice. Female, but not male, F1 offspring of CORT-treated fathers displayed altered fear extinction at 2 weeks of age. Only male F1 offspring exhibited altered patterns of ultrasonic vocalization at postnatal day 3 and, as adults, showed decreased time in open on the elevated-plus maze and time in light on the light-dark apparatus, suggesting a hyperanxiety-like behavioral phenotype due to paternal CORT treatment. Interestingly, expression of the paternally imprinted gene Igf2 was increased in the hippocampus of F1 male offspring but downregulated in female offspring. Male and female F2 offspring displayed increased time spent in the open arm of the elevated-plus maze, suggesting lower levels of anxiety compared with control animals. Only male F2 offspring showed increased immobility time on the forced-swim test and increased latency to feed on the novelty-supressed feeding test, suggesting a depression-like phenotype in these animals. Collectively, these data provide evidence that paternal CORT treatment alters anxiety and depression-related behaviors across multiple generations. Analysis of the small RNA profile in sperm from CORT-treated males revealed marked effects on the expression of small noncoding RNAs. Sperm from CORT-treated males contained elevated levels of three microRNAs, miR-98, miR-144 and miR-190b, which are predicted to interact with multiple growth factors, including Igf2 and Bdnf. Sustained elevation of glucocorticoids is therefore involved in the transmission of paternal stress-induced traits across generations in a process involving small noncoding RNA signals transmitted by the male germline.
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21
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Quinnies KM, Cox KH, Rissman EF. Immune deficiency influences juvenile social behavior and maternal behavior. Behav Neurosci 2016; 129:331-8. [PMID: 26030431 DOI: 10.1037/bne0000053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) lack functional T and B lymphocytes, and have impaired cognitive abilities. We assessed social behaviors in male SCID and C57BL/6 (B6) juvenile mice. In a social preference task, SCID mice spent more time than B6 mice investigating a novel adult male mouse. In a social recognition task, SCID mice habituated to a novel ovariectomized mouse, but failed to show dishabituation when presented with an unfamiliar individual. We hypothesized that partial immune restoration could normalize behaviors. SCID pups (postnatal Day 7) received either saline or splenocytes from normal donors. Splenocyte-replaced SCID mice spent less time interacting with a novel mouse than saline-injected SCID or B6 control mice. Again, control SCID mice failed to dishabituate to a novel mouse, but splenocyte-replaced SCID mice showed dishabituation. In both of these studies, B6 and SCID pairs were used to produce offspring that remained with their dams until weaning. There are no studies of maternal behavior in SCID dams; therefore to investigate the potential role for this factor, we quantified maternal behavior in SCID and B6 dams; several significant differences were found. To control for differences in maternal care, we mated heterozygous SCIDs to produce offspring. These homozygous SCID and wild-type offspring reared by dams of the same genotypes displayed similar responses to a novel mouse; however, in the social recognition task, SCID males did not display dishabituation to a novel mouse. Taken together, our data indicate that Gene × Environment interactions influence social interactions in immune deficient mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla M Quinnies
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine
| | - Kimberly H Cox
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine
| | - Emilie F Rissman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine
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22
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Kiryanova V, Meunier SJ, Vecchiarelli HA, Hill MN, Dyck RH. Effects of maternal stress and perinatal fluoxetine exposure on behavioral outcomes of adult male offspring. Neuroscience 2016; 320:281-96. [PMID: 26872999 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.01.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Revised: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Women of child-bearing age are the population group at highest risk for depression. In pregnant women, fluoxetine (Flx) is the most widely prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used for the treatment of depression. While maternal stress, depression, and Flx exposure have been shown to effect neurodevelopment of the offspring, separately, combined effects of maternal stress and Flx exposure have not been extensively examined. The present study investigated the effects of prenatal maternal stress and perinatal exposure to the SSRI Flx on the behavior of male mice as adults. METHODS C57BL/6 dams exposed to chronic unpredictable stress from embryonic (E) day 4 to E18 and non-stressed dams were administered Flx (25 mg/kg/d) in the drinking water from E15 to postnatal day 12. A separate control group consisted of animals that were not exposed to stress or Flx. At 12 days of age, brain levels of serotonin were assessed in the male offspring. At two months of age, the male offspring of mothers exposed to prenatal stress (PS), perinatal Flx, PS and Flx, or neither PS or Flx, went through a comprehensive behavioral test battery. At the end of testing brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) levels were assessed in the frontal cortex of the offspring. RESULTS Maternal behavior was not altered by either stress or Flx treatment. Treatment of the mother with Flx led to detectible Flx and NorFlx levels and lead to a decrease in serotonin levels in pup brains. In the adult male offspring, while perinatal exposure to Flx increased aggressive behavior, prenatal maternal stress decreased aggressive behavior. Interestingly, the combined effects of stress and Flx normalized aggressive behavior. Furthermore, perinatal Flx treatment led to a decrease in anxiety-like behavior in male offspring. PS led to hyperactivity and a decrease in BDNF levels in the frontal cortex regardless of Flx exposure. Neither maternal stress or Flx altered offspring performance in tests of cognitive abilities, memory, sensorimotor information processing, or risk assessment behaviors. These results demonstrate that maternal exposure to stress and Flx have a number of sustained effects on the male offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Kiryanova
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - S J Meunier
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - H A Vecchiarelli
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - M N Hill
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - R H Dyck
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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23
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Bred to breed?! Implications of continuous mating on the emotional status of mouse offspring. Behav Brain Res 2015; 279:155-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Revised: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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24
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Catanese MC, Suvorov A, Vandenberg LN. Beyond a means of exposure: a new view of the mother in toxicology research. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c4tx00119b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxicological studies generally view pregnant animals as a conduit through which gestational exposure of offspring to chemicals can be achieved, allowing for the study of developmental toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary C. Catanese
- Program in Neuroscience & Behaviour
- University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Amherst
- USA
| | - Alexander Suvorov
- Program in Neuroscience & Behaviour
- University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Amherst
- USA
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences
| | - Laura N. Vandenberg
- Program in Neuroscience & Behaviour
- University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Amherst
- USA
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences
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25
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Szabó ÉR, Cservenák M, Lutz TA, Gévai L, Endrényi M, Simon L, Dobolyi Á. Behavioural changes in mothers and maternally sensitised female mice. BEHAVIOUR 2015. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The maternal motivation and depression-like behaviour of primiparous mother and maternally sensitised virgin female mice were investigated. During a 1-h test period, dams and sensitised female mice spent significantly more time in pup-associated than in control cages when they could freely choose between them, while virgin control and ovariectomised females had no such preference. In the forced swim test, the time spent in active (swimming and struggling) and passive (floating) behaviours was measured for 6 min. Mother mice spent more time engaged in active behaviours than virgin and sensitised female mice, while the latter two groups did not differ from each other in the forced swim test. The results suggest that maternal motivation is increased in postpartum mothers and maternally sensitised female mice. We also provide the first demonstration that postpartum mother mice display anti-depression-like behaviours in the forced swim test, while maternally sensitised females do not show such emotional changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éva R. Szabó
- aMTA-ELTE-NAP B Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- bLaboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Melinda Cservenák
- aMTA-ELTE-NAP B Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- bLaboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Thomas A. Lutz
- cInstitute of Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lőrinc Gévai
- dSensorimotory Adaptation and Vestibular Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Miklós Endrényi
- dSensorimotory Adaptation and Vestibular Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Simon
- dSensorimotory Adaptation and Vestibular Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Árpád Dobolyi
- aMTA-ELTE-NAP B Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- bLaboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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26
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What makes a good mother? Implication of inter-, and intrastrain strain "cross fostering" for emotional changes in mouse offspring. Behav Brain Res 2014; 274:270-81. [PMID: 25151929 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Revised: 08/07/2014] [Accepted: 08/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Currently, the mouse represents the preferred model organism among mammals used for animal studies. Due to a great availability of mutant strains it represents a standard method to analyze in vivo the effects of targeted gene manipulations. While this - at least in theory - represents a valuable tool to elucidate the pathophysiology of certain human diseases, there are several caveats which need to be considered working with animals. In our study we aimed at elucidating, how a widely established breeding strategy, i.e. the use of "foster mothers" to save the survival of compromised mouse pups for ongoing experiments, per se, affects the emotional phenotype of the fostered offspring. Since it is a popular method to use outbred strains like NMRI to do this job, we sought to evaluate the potential effects of such an artificial postnatal condition and compare either offspring nurtured by their biological mothers or two different strains of foster mothers. Hence we analysed changes in maternal care and later on the emotional behaviour of male and female C57BL/6 mice reared by (i) their biological C57BL/6 mothers, (ii) C57BL/6 foster mothers and (iii) NMRI foster mothers in a behavioural test battery. In addition we assessed corticosterone levels as indicator for stress-physiological changes. Besides clear differences in maternal behaviour, our study indicates an altered emotional state (i.e. differences in anxiety and depressive-like features) in mice reared by different "categories" of mothers, which emphasizes the importance to embed such perinatal conditions in the evaluation of animal-deriving data.
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27
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Liang M, Zhong J, Liu HX, Lopatina O, Nakada R, Yamauchi AM, Higashida H. Pairmate-dependent pup retrieval as parental behavior in male mice. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:186. [PMID: 25071431 PMCID: PMC4092370 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Accepted: 06/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Appropriate parental care by fathers can greatly facilitate healthy human family life. However, much less is known about paternal behavior in animals compared to those regarding maternal behavior. Previously, we reported that male ICR strain laboratory mice, although not spontaneously parental, can be induced to display maternal-like parental care (pup retrieval) when separated from their pups by signals from the pairmate dam (Liu et al., 2013). This parental behavior by the ICR sires, which are not genetically biparental, is novel and has been designated as pairmate-dependent paternal behavior. However, the factors critical for this paternal behavior are unclear. Here, we report that the pairmate-dependent paternal retrieval behavior is observed especially in the ICR strain and not in C57BL/6 or BALB/c mice. An ICR sire displays retrieval behavior only toward his biological pups. A sire co-housed with an unrelated non-pairing dam in a new environment, under which 38-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations are not detected, does not show parenting behavior. It is important for sires to establish their own home territory (cage) by continuous housing and testing to display retrieval behavior. These results indicated that the ICR sires display distinct paternity, including father-child social interaction, and shed light on parental behavior, although further analyses of paternal care at the neuroendocrinological and neurocircuitry levels are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingkun Liang
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University Kanazawa, Japan ; Department of Biophysical Genetics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Jing Zhong
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University Kanazawa, Japan ; Department of Biophysical Genetics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hong-Xiang Liu
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Olga Lopatina
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Nakada
- Department of Biophysical Genetics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Agnes-Mikiko Yamauchi
- Department of Biophysical Genetics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University Kanazawa, Japan
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28
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Kiryanova V, Dyck RH. Increased Aggression, Improved Spatial Memory, and Reduced Anxiety-Like Behaviour in Adult Male Mice Exposed to Fluoxetine Early in Life. Dev Neurosci 2014; 36:396-408. [DOI: 10.1159/000363102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2014] [Accepted: 04/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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29
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Mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor balance in control of HPA axis and behaviour. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38:648-58. [PMID: 22980941 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2012] [Revised: 08/06/2012] [Accepted: 08/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
An imbalance between central glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid (MR) receptors is proposed to underlie the HPA axis dysregulation that associates with susceptibility to psychopathology (anxiety, PTSD). To test this 'balance hypothesis' we examined whether the impact of MR levels upon HPA-axis control and behaviour depended on the relative levels of GR and vice versa. Avoiding antenatal maternal 'programming' effects by using littermates, we generated mice with forebrain MR over-expression (MR(hi)) and/or simultaneous global GR under-expression (GR(lo)). We found a significant interaction between MR and GR in control of the HPA-axis under stressed but not basal conditions. With reduced GR levels, HPA-axis activity in response to restraint stress was enhanced, likely due to impaired negative feedback. However, high MR in concert with reduced GR minimised this HPA-axis overshoot in response to stress. MR:GR balance also played a role in determining strategies of spatial memory during a watermaze probe trial: when coupled with GR under-expression, MR(hi) show enhanced perseveration, suggesting enhanced spatial recall or reduced exploratory flexibility. Other alterations in cognitive functions were specific to a single receptor without interaction, with both MR(hi) and GR(lo) manipulations independently impairing reversal learning in spatial and fear memory tasks. Thus, MR and GR interact in specific domains of neuroendocrine and cognitive control, but for other limbic-associated behaviours each receptor mediates its own repertoire of responses. Since modulation of HPA-axis and behavioural dysfunction associated with high levels of MR, selective ligands or transcriptional regulators may afford novel therapeutic approaches to affective psychopathologies.
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30
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Weber EM, Algers B, Würbel H, Hultgren J, Olsson IAS. Influence of strain and parity on the risk of litter loss in laboratory mice. Reprod Domest Anim 2012; 48:292-6. [PMID: 22809230 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2012.02147.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Pup mortality is a considerable problem in laboratory mouse breeding and the view that parity influence survival of newborn mice is widespread. Some evidence suggests that maternal behaviour is related to offspring mortality in mice. Parental experience is a factor that can improve maternal behaviour and offspring survival in some mammals. However, few papers report a relationship between parity and pup survival in mice. We investigated the influence of strain and parity on loss of entire litters of C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice using data from a breeding colony. In total, 344 C57BL/6 and 146 BALB/c litters were included. We found a considerable mortality rate for both strains: 32% of C57BL/6 litters and 20% for BALB/c litters were lost. There was a significant difference in survival of the first litter between strains, with 3.6 times higher odds of mortality in C57BL/6 mice (p = 0.0028). Parity or previous parental experience of litter loss did, however, not affect litter loss. The scientific literature does not provide a clear picture of perinatal mortality in laboratory mice. Very few studies report perinatal mortality, and only a handful of papers exist where mortality was systematically studied; this area is thus poorly understood. If perinatal mortality in mice is not recognized and investigated, but instead considered normal when breeding mice, a serious welfare problem might be overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Weber
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skara, Sweden.
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