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Li X, Wang H, Wang H, Bullert AJ, Cui JY, Wang K, Lehmler HJ. Germ-free status but not subacute polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure altered hepatic phosphatidylcholine and ether-phosphatidylcholine levels in mice. Toxicology 2024; 504:153790. [PMID: 38552894 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153790] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that pose a current ecosystem and human health concern. PCB exposure impacts the gut microbiome in animal models, suggesting a mechanistic link between PCB exposure and adverse health outcomes. The presence and absence of the microbiome and exposure to PCBs independently affect the lipid composition in the liver, which in turn affects the PCB disposition in target tissues, such as the liver. Here, we investigated microbiome × subacute PCB effects on the hepatic lipid composition of conventional and germ-free female mice exposed to 0, 6, or 30 mg/kg body weight of an environmental PCB mixture in sterile corn oil once daily for 3 consecutive days. Hepatic triacylglyceride and polar lipid levels were quantified using mass spectrometric methods following the subacute PCB exposure. The lipidomic analysis revealed no PCB effect on the hepatic levels. No microbiome effect was observed on levels of triacylglyceride and most polar lipid classes. The total hepatic levels of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and ether-phosphatidylcholine (ePC) lipids were lower in germ-free mice than the conventional mice from the same exposure group. Moreover, levels of several unsaturated PCs, such as PC(36:5) and PC(42:10), and ePCs, such as ePC(36:2) and ePC(4:2), were lower in germ-free than conventional female mice. Based on a KEGG pathway meta-analysis of RNA sequencing data, the ether lipid metabolism pathway is altered in the germ-free mouse liver. In contrast to the liver, extractable lipid levels, determined gravimetrically, differed in several tissues from naïve conventional vs. germ-free mice. Overall, microbiome × subacute PCB exposure effects on hepatic lipid composition are unlikely to affect PCB distribution into the mouse liver. Further studies are needed to assess how the different extractable lipid levels in other tissues alter PCB distribution in conventional vs. germ-free mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueshu Li
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Amanda J Bullert
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Julia Yue Cui
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Hans-Joachim Lehmler
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
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Ibrahim BA, Louie JJ, Shinagawa Y, Xiao G, Asilador AR, Sable HJK, Schantz SL, Llano DA. Developmental Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls Prevents Recovery from Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Disrupts the Functional Organization of the Inferior Colliculus. J Neurosci 2023; 43:4580-4597. [PMID: 37147134 PMCID: PMC10286948 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0030-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to combinations of environmental toxins is growing in prevalence; and therefore, understanding their interactions is of increasing societal importance. Here, we examined the mechanisms by which two environmental toxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and high-amplitude acoustic noise, interact to produce dysfunction in central auditory processing. PCBs are well established to impose negative developmental impacts on hearing. However, it is not known whether developmental exposure to this ototoxin alters the sensitivity to other ototoxic exposures later in life. Here, male mice were exposed to PCBs in utero, and later as adults were exposed to 45 min of high-intensity noise. We then examined the impacts of the two exposures on hearing and the organization of the auditory midbrain using two-photon imaging and analysis of the expression of mediators of oxidative stress. We observed that developmental exposure to PCBs blocked hearing recovery from acoustic trauma. In vivo two-photon imaging of the inferior colliculus (IC) revealed that this lack of recovery was associated with disruption of the tonotopic organization and reduction of inhibition in the auditory midbrain. In addition, expression analysis in the inferior colliculus revealed that reduced GABAergic inhibition was more prominent in animals with a lower capacity to mitigate oxidative stress. These data suggest that combined PCBs and noise exposure act nonlinearly to damage hearing and that this damage is associated with synaptic reorganization, and reduced capacity to limit oxidative stress. In addition, this work provides a new paradigm by which to understand nonlinear interactions between combinations of environmental toxins.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Exposure to common environmental toxins is a large and growing problem in the population. This work provides a new mechanistic understanding of how the prenatal and postnatal developmental changes induced by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) could negatively impact the resilience of the brain to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) later in adulthood. The use of state-of-the-art tools, including in vivo multiphoton microscopy of the midbrain helped in identifying the long-term central changes in the auditory system after the peripheral hearing damage induced by such environmental toxins. In addition, the novel combination of methods employed in this study will lead to additional advances in our understanding of mechanisms of central hearing loss in other contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baher A Ibrahim
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Jeremy J Louie
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Yoshitaka Shinagawa
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Gang Xiao
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Alexander R Asilador
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Helen J K Sable
- The Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee 38152
| | - Susan L Schantz
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Daniel A Llano
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
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3
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Capshaw G, Brown AD, Peña JL, Carr CE, Christensen-Dalsgaard J, Tollin DJ, Womack MC, McCullagh EA. The continued importance of comparative auditory research to modern scientific discovery. Hear Res 2023; 433:108766. [PMID: 37084504 PMCID: PMC10321136 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
A rich history of comparative research in the auditory field has afforded a synthetic view of sound information processing by ears and brains. Some organisms have proven to be powerful models for human hearing due to fundamental similarities (e.g., well-matched hearing ranges), while others feature intriguing differences (e.g., atympanic ears) that invite further study. Work across diverse "non-traditional" organisms, from small mammals to avians to amphibians and beyond, continues to propel auditory science forward, netting a variety of biomedical and technological advances along the way. In this brief review, limited primarily to tetrapod vertebrates, we discuss the continued importance of comparative studies in hearing research from the periphery to central nervous system with a focus on outstanding questions such as mechanisms for sound capture, peripheral and central processing of directional/spatial information, and non-canonical auditory processing, including efferent and hormonal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Capshaw
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
| | - Andrew D Brown
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - José L Peña
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Catherine E Carr
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | | | - Daniel J Tollin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Molly C Womack
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA.
| | - Elizabeth A McCullagh
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
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Cai X, Wu M, Zhang Z, Liu H, Huang S, Song J, Ren S, Huang Y. Electroacupuncture alleviated depression‐like behaviors in ventromedial prefrontal cortex of chronic unpredictable mild stress‐induced rats: Increasing synaptic transmission and phosphorylating dopamine transporter. CNS Neurosci Ther 2023. [PMID: 37002793 PMCID: PMC10401110 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Electroacupuncture (EA) shows advantages in both clinical practice and depression animal models. Dopaminergic-related dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) may be a hidden antidepressant mechanism of EA, where dopamine transporter (DAT) plays an essential role. This study aimed to investigate the synaptic transmission and DAT-related changes of EA in depression. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 3-week chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). The successfully modeled rats were then randomly and equally assigned to CUMS, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and EA or SSRI + EA groups, followed by a 2-week treatment respectively. After monitoring body weight and behavioral tests of all rats, the ventromedial PFC (vmPFC) tissue was collected for electrophysiology and the expression detection of DAT, phosphorylated DAT (p-DAT), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), protein kinase A (PKA), and trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1). RESULTS Depressive-like behaviors induced by CUMS were alleviated by EA, SSRI, and SSRI + EA treatments through behavioral tests. Compared with CUMS group, EA improved synaptic transmission in vmPFC by upregulating spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents amplitude. Molecularly, EA reversed the increased total DAT and p-DAT expression as well as the decreased ratio of p-DAT/total DAT along with the activation of TAAR1, cAMP, and PKA in vmPFC. CONCLUSION We speculated that the antidepressant effect of EA was associated with enhanced synaptic transmission in vmPFC, and the upregulated phosphorylation of DAT relevant to TAAR1, cAMP, and PKA may be the potential mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Cai
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 Guangdong China
| | - Mei Wu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 Guangdong China
| | - Zhinan Zhang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 Guangdong China
| | - Huacong Liu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 Guangdong China
| | - Shengtao Huang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 Guangdong China
| | - Jia Song
- Guangdong‐Hong Kong‐Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain‐Inspired Intelligence, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 Guangdong China
| | - Siqiang Ren
- Guangdong‐Hong Kong‐Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain‐Inspired Intelligence, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 Guangdong China
| | - Yong Huang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 Guangdong China
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Ge C, Geng T, Cheng L, Zhang Y. Gestational exposure to PCB-118 impairs placental angiogenesis and fetal growth. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:49126-49135. [PMID: 35217957 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19240-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Maternal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) results in adverse effects on fetal development. However, the underlying mechanism has not been sufficiently explored in respect to particular PCBs. Placental angiogenesis plays a crucial role in feto-maternal substances transportation and fetal development. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of prenatal PCB118 exposure on placental angiogenesis and fetal growth. The pregnant dam received PCB118 at environmentally relevant doses (0, 20, or 100 μg/kg/day) intragastrically from gestational day (GD) 7.5-18.5 to establish an in vivo model. Compared with the control group, the fetal body and placental weights of the PCB118 (100 μg/kg/day) group were significantly decreased and the intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) rates were increased both in the female and male fetus. Furthermore, we found that placental histology was significantly impaired and the number of blood vessels was decreased in the PCB118 group. Additionally, gestational exposure to PCB118 caused anomalous mRNA expression of the genes in the placenta regarding angiogenesis. These findings indicate that PCB118 may contribute to the occurrence of IUGR by provoking placental angiogenesis dysfunction. This study clarified the adverse effects and potential mechanism of prenatal PCBs exposure on fetal growth, providing a new theoretical and experimental basis for future treatment and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiyun Ge
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Clinical Research Center for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Health, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Geng
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Clinical Research Center for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Health, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Cheng
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Clinical Research Center for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Health, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanzhen Zhang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
- Hubei Clinical Research Center for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Health, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
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6
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Kennedy CL, Spiegelhoff A, Lavery T, Wang K, Manuel RSJ, Wang Z, Wildermuth H, Keil Stietz KP. Developmental polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure alters voiding physiology in young adult male and female mice. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL UROLOGY 2022; 10:82-97. [PMID: 35528463 PMCID: PMC9077147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The impact of developmental exposure to environmental chemicals on lower urinary tract function is not well understood, despite the fact that these chemicals could contribute to etiologically complex lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are environmental toxicants known to be detrimental to the central nervous system, but their impact on voiding function in mouse models is not known. Therefore, we test whether developmental exposure to PCBs is capable of altering voiding physiology in young adult mice. C57Bl/6J female mice received a daily oral dose of the MARBLES PCB mixture for two weeks prior to mating and through gestation and lactation. The mixture mimics the profile of PCBs found in a contemporary population of pregnant women. Voiding function was then tested in young adult offspring using void spot assay, uroflowmetry and anesthetized cystometry. PCB effects were sex and dose dependent. Overall, PCBs led to increases in small size urine spots in both sexes with males producing more drop-like voids and greater peak pressure during a voiding cycle while females displayed decreases in void duration and intervoid interval. Together, these results indicate that developmental exposure to PCBs are capable of altering voiding physiology in young adult mice. Further work to identify the underlying mechanisms driving these changes may help develop more effective preventative or therapeutic strategies for LUTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conner L Kennedy
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Audrey Spiegelhoff
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Thomas Lavery
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Kathy Wang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Robbie SJ Manuel
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Zunyi Wang
- Department of Surgical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Hannah Wildermuth
- Department of Surgical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Kimberly P Keil Stietz
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI 53706, USA
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7
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Kurioka T, Mizutari K, Satoh Y, Shiotani A. Correlation of blast-induced tympanic membrane perforation with peripheral cochlear synaptopathy. J Neurotrauma 2022; 39:999-1009. [PMID: 35243914 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2021.0487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The auditory organs, including the tympanic membrane, cochlea, and central auditory pathway, are the most fragile components of the human body when exposed to blast overpressure. Tympanic membrane perforation (TMP) is the most frequent symptom in blast-exposed patients. However, the impact of TMP on the inner ear and central auditory system is not fully understood. We aimed to analyze the effect of blast-induced TMP on the auditory pathophysiological changes in mice after blast exposure. Mice aged 7 weeks were exposed to blast overpressure to induce TMP and allowed to survive for 2 months. All TMP cases had spontaneously healed by week 3 following the blast exposure. Compared to controls, blast-exposed mice exhibited a significant elevation in hearing thresholds and an apparent disruption of stereocilia in the outer hair cells, regardless of the occurrence or absence of TMP. The reduction in synapses in the inner hair cells, which is known as the most frequent pathology in blast-exposed cochleae, was significantly more severe in mice without TMP. However, a decrease in the number of excitatory central synapses labeled by VGLUT-1 in the cochlear nucleus was observed regardless of the absence or presence of TMP. Our findings suggest that blast-induced TMP mitigates peripheral cochlear synaptic disruption but leaves the central auditory synapses unaffected, indicating that central synaptic disruption is independent of TMP and peripheral cochlear synaptic disruption. Synaptic deterioration in the peripheral and central auditory systems can contribute to the promotion of blast-induced hearing impairment, including abnormal auditory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takaomi Kurioka
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kunio Mizutari
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yasushi Satoh
- Department of Biochemistry, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan
| | - Akihiro Shiotani
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan
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8
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Latchney SE, Majewska AK. Persistent organic pollutants at the synapse: Shared phenotypes and converging mechanisms of developmental neurotoxicity. Dev Neurobiol 2021; 81:623-652. [PMID: 33851516 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The developing nervous system is sensitive to environmental and physiological perturbations in part due to its protracted period of prenatal and postnatal development. Epidemiological and experimental studies link developmental exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and benzo(a)pyrene to increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Mechanistic studies reveal that many of the complex cellular processes that occur during sensitive periods of rapid brain development are cellular targets for developmental neurotoxicants. One area of research interest has focused on synapse formation and plasticity, processes that involve the growth and retraction of dendrites and dendritic spines. For each chemical discussed in this review, we summarize the morphological and electrophysiological data that provide evidence that developmental POP exposure produces long-lasting effects on dendritic morphology, spine formation, glutamatergic and GABAergic signaling systems, and synaptic transmission. We also discuss shared intracellular mechanisms, with a focus on calcium and thyroid hormone homeostasis, by which these chemicals act to modify synapses. We conclude our review highlighting research gaps that merit consideration when characterizing synaptic pathology elicited by chemical exposure. These gaps include low-dose and nonmonotonic dose-response effects, the temporal relationship between dendritic growth, spine formation, and synaptic activity, excitation-inhibition balance, hormonal effects, and the need for more studies in females to identify sex differences. By identifying converging pathological mechanisms elicited by POP exposure at the synapse, we can define future research directions that will advance our understanding of these chemicals on synapse structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Latchney
- Department of Biology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Ania K Majewska
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.,Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
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