Impact of elevated plasma serotonin on global gene expression of murine megakaryocytes

Serotonin Signaling and the Hyperpermeable Endothelial Barrier in Sepsis: Clues to a Molecular Mechanism

Sepsis is characterized by a severe systemic inflammatory response caused by hyperpermeability of the endothelial barrier resulting microvascular leakage, which is a leading factor to multiorgan failure. In sepsis, the hyperpermeable endothelial cells contribute to the activation of platelets, which release numerous mediators that affect coagulation, inflammatory response and are believed to directly or indirectly affect the integrity of the endothelial barrier. One such mediator is serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), a signaling molecule which mediates a number of cellular functions including regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics associated with barrier function of endothelial cells. The actions of 5-HT are mediated by different types of receptors and terminated via an uptake mechanism of a 5-HT transporter (SERT) on the platelet and endothelial cell. Earlier studies revealed unexpected discoveries concerning the impact of 5-HT signaling on the permeability of the endothelial barrier. These findings have been supported by the clinical reports on the anti-inflammatory property of 5-HT reuptake inhibitor, SSRIs in treating sepsis-related morbidity and mortality. This review focuses on a wide-range of literature to pinpoint cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate 5-HT-induced microvascular injury in sepsis pathogenesis.

The nature of the binding between insulin receptor and serotonin transporter in placenta (review)

The interplay between the insulin receptor (IR) and serotonin transporter (SERT) allows reciprocal regulation of each other's physiological roles to ensure appropriate responses to specific environmental and developmental signals. The studies reported herein provided substantial evidence of how insulin signaling influences the modification and trafficking of SERT to the plasma membrane via enabling its association with specific endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins. While insulin signaling is important for the modifications of SERT proteins, the fact that phosphorylation of IR was significantly down-regulated in the placenta of SERT knock out (KO) mice suggests that SERT also regulates IR. Further suggestive of SERT functional regulation of IR, SERT-KO mice developed obesity and glucose intolerance with symptoms similar to those of type 2 diabetes. The picture emerging from those studies proposes that the interplay between IR and SERT maintains conditions supportive of IR phosphorylation and regulates insulin signaling in placenta which ultimately enables the trafficking of SERT to the plasma membrane. IR-SERT association thus appears to play a protective metabolic role in placenta and is impaired under diabetic conditions. This review focuses on recent findings describing the functional and physical associations between IR and SERT in placental cells, and the dysregulation of this process in diabetes.

Gut microbial metabolism of dietary fibre protects against high energy feeding induced ovarian follicular atresia in a pig model

To investigate the effects of dietary fibre on follicular atresia in pigs fed a high-fat diet, we fed thirty-two prepubescent gilts a basal diet (CON) or a CON diet supplemented with 300 g/d dietary fibre (fibre), 240 g/d soya oil (SO) or both (fibre + SO). At the 19th day of the 4th oestrus cycle, gilts fed the SO diet showed 112 % more atretic follicles and greater expression of the apoptotic markers, Bax and caspase-3, and these effects were reversed by the fibre diet. The abundance of SCFA-producing microbes was decreased by the SO diet, but this effect was reversed by fibre treatment. Concentrations of serotonin and melatonin in the serum and follicular fluid were increased by the fibre diet. Overall, dietary fibre protected against high fat feeding-induced follicular atresia at least partly via gut microbiota-related serotonin-melatonin synthesis. These results provide insight into preventing negative effects on fertility in humans consuming a high-energy diet.

Serotonin transporter protects the placental cells against apoptosis in caspase 3-independent pathway

Serotonin (5-HT) and its specific transporter, SERT play important roles in pregnancy. Using placentas dissected from 18d gestational SERT-knock out (KO), peripheral 5-HT (TPH1)-KO, and wild-type (WT) mice, we explored the role of 5-HT and SERT in placental functions in detail. An abnormal thick band of fibrosis and necrosis under the giant cell layer in SERT-KO placentas appeared only moderately in TPH1-KO and minimally present in WT placentas. The majority of the changes were located at the junctional zone of the placentas in SERT. The etiology of these findings was tested with TUNEL assays. The placentas from SERT-KO and TPH1-KO showed 49- and 8-fold increase in TUNEL-positive cells without a concurrent change in the DNA repair or cell proliferation compared to WT placentas. While the proliferation rate in the embryos of TPH1-KO mice was 16-fold lower than the rate in gestational age matched embryos of WT or SERT-KO mice. These findings highlight an important role of continuous 5-HT signaling on trophoblast cell viability. SERT may contribute to protecting trophoblast cells against cell death via terminating the 5-HT signaling which changes cell death ratio in trophoblast as well as proliferation rate in embryos. However, the cell death in SERT-KO placentas is in caspase 3-independent pathway.

Resilience to orthostasis and haemorrhage: A pilot study of common genetic and conditioning mechanisms

A major challenge presently is not only to identify the genetic polymorphisms increasing risk to diseases, but to also find out factors and mechanisms, which can counteract a risk genotype by developing a resilient phenotype. The objective of this study was to examine acquired and innate vagal mechanisms that protect against physical challenges and haemorrhages in 19 athletes and 61 non-athletes. These include examining change in heart rate variability (HF-HRV; an indicator of vagus activity) in response to orthostatic challenge, platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and single-nucleotide polymorphisms in genes that encode several coagulation factors, PAI-1, and MTHFR. Individual differences in PLT and MPV were significant predictors, with opposite effects, of the profiles of the HF-HRV changes in response to orthostasis. Regular physical training of athletes indirectly (through MPV) modifies the genetic predisposing effects of some haemostatic factors (PAI-1 and MTHFR) on vagal tone and reactivity. Individual differences in vagal tone were also associated with relationships between Factor 12 C46T and Factor 11 C22771T genes polymorphisms. This study showed that genetic predispositions for coagulation are modifiable. Its potential significance is promoting advanced protection against haemorrhages in a variety of traumas and injuries, especially in individuals with coagulation deficits.

A study of blood serotonin and serotonin transporter promoter variant (5-HTTLPR) polymorphism in Egyptian autistic children

Background:

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex, heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder with onset during early childhood. Most studies have reported an elevation in platelet serotonin in persons with autism. The serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) transporter in the brain uptakes 5-HT from extracellular spaces. It is also present in platelets, where it takes up 5-HT from plasma. Polymorphisms in serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) were frequently studied in many neuropsychiatric disorders.

Materials and Methods:

We have measured the plasma 5-HT levels in 20 autistic male children and 20 control male children by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. In addition, the SLC6A4 promoter region (5-HTTLPR) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism was studied, using whole genomic DNA.

Results:

Plasma serotonin was significantly low in autistic children compared to control (P = 0.001), although correlation to severity of autism was not significant. The frequency of short (S) allele in autism cases was 10% and in the control group it was absent.

Conclusion:

Our study demonstrated an increased prevalence of 5-HTTLPR S allele in autism subjects. Significantly decreased plasma serotonin was detected in autism subjects, with no significant relationship between 5-HTTLPR genotype and plasma 5-HT being evident.

A serotonin-induced N-glycan switch regulates platelet aggregation

Serotonin (5-HT) is a multifunctional signaling molecule that plays different roles in a concentration-dependent manner. We demonstrated that elevated levels of plasma 5-HT accelerate platelet aggregation resulting in a hypercoagulable state in which the platelet surface becomes occupied by several glycoproteins. Here we study the novel hypothesis that an elevated level of plasma 5-HT results in modification of the content of N-glycans on the platelet surface and this abnormality is associated with platelet aggregation. Mass spectrometry of total surface glycoproteins on platelets isolated from wild-type mice infused for 24 hours with saline or 5-HT revealed that the content of glycoproteins on platelets from 5-HT-infused mice switched from predominantly N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) to N-glycolyl-neuraminic acid (Neu5Gc). Cytidine monophosphate-N-acetylneuraminate hydroxylase (CMAH) synthesizes Neu5Gc from Neu5Ac. Up-regulation of Neu5Gc content on the platelet surface resulted from an increase in the catalytic function, not expression, of CMAH in platelets of 5-HT-infused mice. The highest level of Neu5Gc was observed in platelets of 5-HT-infused, 5-HT transporter-knock out mice, suggesting that the surface delineated 5-HT receptor on platelets may promote CMAH catalytic activity. These new findings link elevated levels of plasma 5-HT to altered platelet N-glycan content, a previously unrecognized abnormality that may favor platelet aggregation.