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Xue Y, Xu P, Hu Y, Liu S, Yan R, Liu S, Li Y, Liu J, Fu T, Li Z. Stress systems exacerbate the inflammatory response after corneal abrasion in sleep-deprived mice via the IL-17 signaling pathway. Mucosal Immunol 2024; 17:323-345. [PMID: 38428739 DOI: 10.1016/j.mucimm.2024.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Sleep deprivation (SD) has a wide range of adverse health effects. However, the mechanisms by which SD influences corneal pathophysiology and its post-wound healing remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the basic physiological characteristics of the cornea in mice subjected to SD and determine the pathophysiological response to injury after corneal abrasion. Using a multi-platform water environment method as an SD model, we found that SD leads to disturbances of corneal proliferative, sensory, and immune homeostasis as well as excessive inflammatory response and delayed repair after corneal abrasion by inducing hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Pathophysiological changes in the cornea mainly occurred through the activation of the IL-17 signaling pathway. Blocking both adrenergic and glucocorticoid synthesis and locally neutralizing IL-17A significantly improved corneal homeostasis and the excessive inflammatory response and delay in wound repair following corneal injury in SD-treated mice. These results indicate that optimal sleep quality is essential for the physiological homeostasis of the cornea and its well-established repair process after injury. Additionally, these observations provide potential therapeutic targets to ameliorate SD-induced delays in corneal wound repair by inhibiting or blocking the activation of the stress system and its associated IL-17 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxia Xue
- International Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pengyang Xu
- International Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Pathology, Nanyang Second General Hospital, Nanyang City, Henan, China
| | - Yu Hu
- International Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sijing Liu
- International Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruyu Yan
- International Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shutong Liu
- International Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Li
- International Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Liu
- International Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting Fu
- International Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhijie Li
- International Ocular Surface Research Center, Institute of Ophthalmology and Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Jinan University Medical School, Guangzhou, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
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2
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Baumer-Harrison C, Elsaafien K, Johnson DN, Peñaloza Aponte JD, de Araujo A, Patel S, Bruce EB, Harden SW, Frazier CJ, Scott KA, de Lartigue G, Krause EG, de Kloet AD. Alleviating Hypertension by Selectively Targeting Angiotensin Receptor-Expressing Vagal Sensory Neurons. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1154232023. [PMID: 38242697 PMCID: PMC10904025 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1154-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular homeostasis is maintained, in part, by neural signals arising from arterial baroreceptors that apprise the brain of blood volume and pressure. Here, we test whether neurons within the nodose ganglia that express angiotensin type-1a receptors (referred to as NGAT1aR) serve as baroreceptors that differentially influence blood pressure (BP) in male and female mice. Using Agtr1a-Cre mice and Cre-dependent AAVs to direct tdTomato to NGAT1aR, neuroanatomical studies revealed that NGAT1aR receive input from the aortic arch, project to the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), and synthesize mechanosensitive ion channels, Piezo1/2 To evaluate the functionality of NGAT1aR, we directed the fluorescent calcium indicator (GCaMP6s) or the light-sensitive channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) to Agtr1a-containing neurons. Two-photon intravital imaging in Agtr1a-GCaMP6s mice revealed that NGAT1aR couple their firing to elevated BP, induced by phenylephrine (i.v.). Furthermore, optical excitation of NGAT1aR at their soma or axon terminals within the caudal NTS of Agtr1a-ChR2 mice elicited robust frequency-dependent decreases in BP and heart rate, indicating that NGAT1aR are sufficient to elicit appropriate compensatory responses to vascular mechanosensation. Optical excitation also elicited hypotensive and bradycardic responses in ChR2-expressing mice that were subjected to deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension; however, the duration of these effects was altered, suggestive of hypertension-induced impairment of the baroreflex. Similarly, increased GCaMP6s fluorescence observed after administration of phenylephrine was delayed in mice subjected to DOCA-salt or chronic delivery of angiotensin II. Collectively, these results reveal the structure and function of NGAT1aR and suggest that such neurons may be exploited to discern and relieve hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Baumer-Harrison
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Khalid Elsaafien
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302
| | - Dominique N Johnson
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302
| | - Jesus D Peñaloza Aponte
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Alan de Araujo
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Sagar Patel
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Erin B Bruce
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Scott W Harden
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Charles J Frazier
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Karen A Scott
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302
| | | | - Eric G Krause
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302
| | - Annette D de Kloet
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302
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Yu Z, Iyer L, Swiercz AP, Paronett E, Ramadan M, Marvar PJ, Posnack NG. The Impact of Chronic Phthalate Exposure on Rodent Anxiety and Cognition. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:203-212. [PMID: 38298799 PMCID: PMC10829632 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background There is a growing importance for environmental contributions to psychiatric disorders and understanding the impact of the exposome (i.e., pollutants and toxins). For example, increased biomonitoring and epidemiological studies suggest that daily phthalate chemical exposure contributes to neurological and behavioral abnormalities; however, these mechanisms remain poorly understood. Therefore, the current study was aimed at examining the effects of chronic phthalate exposure on rodent anxiety behaviors and cognition and the impact on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function. Methods Adult male mice (C57BL6/J) were administered MEHP via drinking water (1 mg/mL), and anxiety-like behavior and cognition combined with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and inflammatory assays were assessed after 3 weeks of MEHP exposure. Results MEHP-treated mice exhibited enhanced generalized anxiety-like behaviors, as demonstrated by reduced time spent in the open-arm of the elevated plus maze and center exploration in the open field. Tests of spatial memory and cognition were unchanged. Following MEHP administration, circulating levels of corticosterone and proinflammatory cytokines were significantly increased, while at the tissue level, there were MEHP-dependent reductions in glucocorticoid metabolism genes Hsd11b1 and Hsd11b2. Conclusions These data suggest that chronic MEHP exposure leads to enhanced generalized anxiety behaviors independent of rodent measures of cognition and memory, which may be driven by MEHP-dependent effects on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and peripheral glucocorticoid metabolism function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Yu
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Laxmi Iyer
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Adam P. Swiercz
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Elizabeth Paronett
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Manelle Ramadan
- Children’s National Heart Institute, Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Paul J. Marvar
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Nikki Gillum Posnack
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Children’s National Heart Institute, Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
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Shao J, Chen Y, Gao D, Liu Y, Hu N, Yin L, Zhang X, Yang F. Ventromedial hypothalamus relays chronic stress inputs and exerts bidirectional regulation on anxiety state and related sympathetic activity. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1281919. [PMID: 38161999 PMCID: PMC10755867 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1281919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress can induce negative emotion states, including anxiety and depression, leading to sympathetic overactivation and disturbed physiological homeostasis in peripheral tissues. While anxiety-related neural circuitry integrates chronic stress information and modulates sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, the critical nodes linking anxiety and sympathetic activity still need to be clarified. In our previous study, we demonstrated that the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) is involved in integrating chronic stress inputs and exerting influence on sympathetic activity. However, the underlying synaptic and electrophysiological mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we combined in vitro electrophysiological recordings, behavioral tests, optogenetic manipulations, and SNS activity analyses to explore the role of VMH in linking anxiety emotion and peripheral SNS activity. Results showed that the VMH played an important role in bidirectionally regulating anxiety-like behavior and peripheral sympathetic excitation. Chronic stress enhanced excitatory inputs into VMH neurons by strengthening the connection with the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVN), hence promoting anxiety and sympathetic tone outflow, an important factor contributing to the development of metabolic imbalance in peripheral tissues and cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Shao
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People’s Hospital), Shenzhen, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Chen
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
- School of Sport Medicine and Rehabilitation, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Dashuang Gao
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yunhui Liu
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
| | - Nan Hu
- Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, China
| | - Lianghong Yin
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinzhou Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, China
| | - Fan Yang
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
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5
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Althammer F, Roy RK, Kirchner MK, Lira EC, Schimmer S, Charlet A, Grinevich V, Stern JE. Impaired oxytocin signaling in the central amygdala in rats with chronic heart failure. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.22.568271. [PMID: 38045233 PMCID: PMC10690294 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.22.568271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Aims Heart failure (HF) patients often suffer from cognitive decline, depression, and mood impairments, but the molecular signals and brain circuits underlying these effects remain elusive. The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is critically involved in the regulation of mood, and OTergic signaling in the central amygdala (CeA) is a key mechanism controlling emotional responses including anxiety-like behaviors. Based on this, we used in this study a well-established ischemic rat HF model and aimed to study alterations in the hypothalamus-to-CeA OTergic circuit. Methods and Results To study potential HF-induced changes in the hypothalamus-to-CeA OTertic circuit, we combined patch-clamp electrophysiology, immunohistochemical analysis, RNAScope assessment of OTR mRNA, brain region-specific stereotaxic injections of viral vectors and retrograde tracing, optogenetic stimulation and OT biosensors in the ischemic HF model. We found that most of OTergic innervation of the central amygdala (CeA) originated from the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus (SON). While no differences in the numbers of SON→CeA OTertic neurons (or their OT content) was observed between sham and HF rats, we did observe a blunted content and release of OT from axonal terminals within the CeA. Moreover, we report downregulation of neuronal and astrocytic OT receptors, and impaired OTR-driven GABAergic synaptic activity within the CeA microcircuit of rats with HF. Conclusions Our study provides first evidence that HF rats display various perturbations in the hypothalamus-to-amygdala OTergic circuit, and lays the foundation for future translational studies targeting either the OT system or GABAergic amygdala GABA microcircuit to ameliorate depression or mood impairments in rats or patients with chronic HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdinand Althammer
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg
| | - Ranjan K. Roy
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew K. Kirchner
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elba Campos Lira
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stephanie Schimmer
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alexandre Charlet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, Strasbourg, France
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Javier E. Stern
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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6
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Colombari DSA, Sumners C, Elsaafien K. Editorial: The neuroendocrine, autonomic and neuroinflammatory stress axes in cardiometabolic disease. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1293219. [PMID: 37817982 PMCID: PMC10561380 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1293219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Débora S. A. Colombari
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Colin Sumners
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Centre for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Khalid Elsaafien
- The Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Centre for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Oliveira AC, Karas MM, Alves M, He J, de Kloet AD, Krause EG, Richards EM, Bryant AJ, Raizada MK. ACE2 overexpression in corticotropin-releasing-hormone cells offers protection against pulmonary hypertension. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1223733. [PMID: 37638323 PMCID: PMC10447887 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1223733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH), characterized by elevated pulmonary pressure and right heart failure, is a systemic disease involving inappropriate sympathetic activation and an impaired gut-brain-lung axis. Global overexpression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a cardiopulmonary protective enzyme of the renin-angiotensin system, attenuates PH induced by chronic hypoxia. Neurons within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) that synthesize corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) are activated by stressors, like hypoxia, and this activation augments sympathetic outflow to cardiovascular tissues. These data coupled with our observations that ACE2 overexpression in CRH cells (CRH-ACE2KI mice) decreases anxiety-like behavior via suppression of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity by decreasing CRH synthesis, led us to hypothesize that selective ACE2 overexpression in CRH neurons would protect against hypoxia-induced PH. Methods CRH-ACE2KI and WT male and female mice were exposed to chronic hypoxia (10%O2) or normoxia (21%O2) for 4 weeks in a ventilated chamber with continuous monitoring of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations (n = 7-10/group). Pulmonary hemodynamics were measured with Millar pressure catheters then tissues were collected for histological analyses. Results Chronic hypoxia induced a significant increase (36.4%) in right ventricular (RV) systolic pressure (RVSP) in WT mice, which was not observed in CRH-ACE2KI mice. No significant differences in RVSP were observed between male and female mice in any of the groups. Conclusion Overexpression of ACE2 in CRH cells was protective against hypoxia-induced PH. Since the majority of expression of CRH is in brain nuclei such as paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) and/or central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) these data indicate that the protective effects of ACE2 are, at least in part, centrally mediated. This contributes to the systemic nature of PH disease and that CRH neurons may play an important role in PH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline C. Oliveira
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Marianthi M. Karas
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Matthew Alves
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jacky He
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Annette D. de Kloet
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Eric G. Krause
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Elaine M. Richards
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Andrew J. Bryant
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Mohan K. Raizada
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Horváth K, Juhász B, Kuti D, Ferenczi S, Kovács KJ. Recruitment of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH) Neurons in Categorically Distinct Stress Reactions in the Mouse Brain. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11736. [PMID: 37511494 PMCID: PMC10380650 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH) are in the position to integrate stress-related information and initiate adaptive neuroendocrine-, autonomic-, metabolic- and behavioral responses. In addition to hypophyseotropic cells, CRH is widely expressed in the CNS, however its involvement in the organization of the stress response is not fully understood. In these experiments, we took advantage of recently available Crh-IRES-Cre;Ai9 mouse line to study the recruitment of hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic CRH neurons in categorically distinct, acute stress reactions. A total of 95 brain regions in the adult male mouse brain have been identified as containing putative CRH neurons with significant expression of tdTomato marker gene. With comparison of CRH mRNA and tdTomato distribution, we found match and mismatch areas. Reporter mice were then exposed to restraint, ether, high salt, lipopolysaccharide and predator odor stress and neuronal activation was revealed by FOS immunocytochemistry. In addition to a core stress system, stressor-specific areas have been revealed to display activity marker FOS. Finally, activation of CRH neurons was detected by colocalization of FOS in tdTomato expressing cells. All stressors resulted in profound activation of CRH neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus; however, a differential activation of pattern was observed in CRH neurons in extrahypothalamic regions. This comprehensive description of stress-related CRH neurons in the mouse brain provides a starting point for a systematic functional analysis of the brain stress system and its relation to stress-induced psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina Horváth
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Medicine Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Juhász
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Medicine Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dániel Kuti
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Medicine Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szilamér Ferenczi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Medicine Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Krisztina J Kovács
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Medicine Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
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9
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Boyle CA, Lei S. Neuromedin B excites central lateral amygdala neurons and reduces cardiovascular output and fear-potentiated startle. J Cell Physiol 2023; 238:1381-1404. [PMID: 37186390 PMCID: PMC10330072 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Neuromedin B (NMB) and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) are the two mammalian analogs in the bombesin peptide family that exert a variety of actions including emotional processing, appetitive behaviors, cognition, and tumor growth. The bombesin-like peptides interact with three receptors: the NMB-preferring bombesin 1 (BB1) receptors, the GRP-preferring bombesin 2 (BB2) receptors and the orphan bombesin 3 (BB3) receptors. Whereas, injection of bombesin into the central amygdala reduces satiety and modulates blood pressure, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms have not been determined. As administration of bombesin induces the expression of Fos in the lateral nucleus of the central amygdala (CeL) which expresses BB1 receptors, we probed the effects of NMB on CeL neurons using in vitro and in vivo approaches. We showed that activation of the BB1 receptors increased action potential firing frequency recorded from CeL neurons via inhibition of the inwardly rectifying K+ (Kir) channels. Activities of phospholipase Cβ and protein kinase C were required, whereas intracellular Ca2+ release was unnecessary for BB1 receptor-elicited potentiation of neuronal excitability. Application of NMB directly into the CeA reduced blood pressure and heart rate and significantly reduced fear-potentiated startle. We may provide a cellular and molecular mechanism whereby bombesin-like peptides modulate anxiety and fear responses in the amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody A. Boyle
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
| | - Saobo Lei
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
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10
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Yu Z, Iyer L, Swiercz AP, Paronett E, Ramadan M, Marvar PJ, Posnack NG. The Impact of Chronic Phthalate Exposure on Rodent Anxiety and Cognition. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.13.536567. [PMID: 37886449 PMCID: PMC10602041 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.13.536567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing importance for environmental contributions to psychiatric disorders and understanding the impact of the exposome (i.e., pollutants and toxins). Increased biomonitoring and epidemiological studies, for example, suggest that daily phthalate chemical exposure contribute to neurological and behavioral abnormalities, however these mechanisms remain poorly understood. The current study therefore aimed to examine the effects of chronic phthalate exposure on rodent anxiety behaviors, cognition, and the impact on hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal (HPA)-axis function. Adult male mice (C57BL6/J) were administered mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) via drinking water (1 mg/ml), and anxiety-like behavior, cognition combined with HPA- axis and inflammatory assays were assessed after 3 weeks of MEHP exposure. MEHP-treated mice exhibited enhanced generalized anxiety-like behaviors, as demonstrated by reduced time spent in the open-arm of the elevated plus maze (EPM) and center exploration in the open field (OF). Tests of spatial, cognition and memory function were unchanged. Following MEHP administration, circulating levels of corticosterone and pro- inflammatory cytokines were significantly increased, while at the tissue level, MEHP-dependent reductions in glucocorticoid metabolism genes 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) 1 and 2. These data suggest that chronic MEHP exposure leads to enhanced generalized-anxiety behaviors independent of rodent measures of cognition and memory, which maybe driven by MEHP-dependent effects on HPA-axis and peripheral glucocorticoid metabolism function.
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11
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Rasiah NP, Loewen SP, Bains JS. Windows into stress: a glimpse at emerging roles for CRH PVN neurons. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:1667-1691. [PMID: 36395349 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00056.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The corticotropin-releasing hormone cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (CRHPVN) control the slow endocrine response to stress. The synapses on these cells are exquisitely sensitive to acute stress, leveraging local signals to leave a lasting imprint on this system. Additionally, recent work indicates that these cells also play key roles in the control of distinct stress and survival behaviors. Here we review these observations and provide a perspective on the role of CRHPVN neurons as integrative and malleable hubs for behavioral, physiological, and endocrine responses to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neilen P Rasiah
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Spencer P Loewen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jaideep S Bains
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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12
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Raskind MA, Williams T, Holmes H, Hart K, Crews L, Poupore EL, Thomas RG, Darnell J, Daniels C, Goke K, Hendrickson R, Terry G, Mayer C, Simpson T, Saxon A, Rasmussen D, Peskind ER. A randomized controlled clinical trial of prazosin for alcohol use disorder in active duty soldiers: Predictive effects of elevated cardiovascular parameters. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2023; 47:348-360. [PMID: 36809662 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Excessive noradrenergic signaling contributes to aversive symptoms of alcohol withdrawal that interfere with abstinence or reductions in harmful use. METHODS To address this aspect of alcohol use disorder, 102 active-duty soldiers participating in command-mandated Army outpatient alcohol treatment were randomized to also receive the brain-penetrant alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin or placebo for 13 weeks. Primary outcomes were scores on the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS), standard drink units (SDUs) per day averaged over each week, % days of any drinking per week, and % days of heavy drinking per week. RESULTS PACS declines did not differ significantly between the prazosin and placebo groups in the overall sample. In the subgroup with comorbid PTSD (n = 48), PACS declines were significantly greater in the prazosin than in the placebo condition (p < 0.05). Baseline alcohol consumption was markedly reduced by the pre-randomization outpatient alcohol treatment program, but the addition of prazosin treatment produced a greater slope of decline in SDUs per day compared to placebo (p = 0.01). Preplanned subgroup analyses were performed in soldiers with elevated baseline cardiovascular measures consistent with increased noradrenergic signaling. In soldiers with elevated standing heart rate (n = 15), prazosin reduced SDUs per day (p = 0.01), % days drinking (p = 0.03), and % days heavy drinking (p = 0.001) relative to placebo. In soldiers with elevated standing systolic blood pressure (n = 27), prazosin reduced SDUs per day (p = 0.04) and tended to reduce % days drinking (p = 0.056). Prazosin also reduced depressive symptoms and the incidence of emergent depressed mood more than placebo (p = 0.05 and p = 0.01, respectively). During the final 4 weeks of prazosin vs. placebo treatment that followed completion of Army outpatient AUD treatment, alcohol consumption in soldiers with elevated baseline cardiovascular measures increased in those receiving placebo but remained suppressed in those receiving prazosin. CONCLUSIONS These results extend reports that higher pretreatment cardiovascular measures predict beneficial effects of prazosin, which may be useful for relapse prevention in patients with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murray A Raskind
- VA Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Tammy Williams
- VA Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Hollie Holmes
- VA Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kim Hart
- VA Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Laura Crews
- Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Eileen L Poupore
- Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | | | - Jolee Darnell
- Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Colin Daniels
- Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Kevin Goke
- Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Rebecca Hendrickson
- VA Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Garth Terry
- VA Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Cynthia Mayer
- VA Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Tracy Simpson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Andrew Saxon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Dennis Rasmussen
- VA Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Elaine R Peskind
- VA Northwest Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
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13
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Leptin Increases: Physiological Roles in the Control of Sympathetic Nerve Activity, Energy Balance, and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid Axis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032684. [PMID: 36769012 PMCID: PMC9917048 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well established that decreases in plasma leptin levels, as with fasting, signal starvation and elicit appropriate physiological responses, such as increasing the drive to eat and decreasing energy expenditure. These responses are mediated largely by suppression of the actions of leptin in the hypothalamus, most notably on arcuate nucleus (ArcN) orexigenic neuropeptide Y neurons and anorexic pro-opiomelanocortin neurons. However, the question addressed in this review is whether the effects of increased leptin levels are also significant on the long-term control of energy balance, despite conventional wisdom to the contrary. We focus on leptin's actions (in both lean and obese individuals) to decrease food intake, increase sympathetic nerve activity, and support the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, with particular attention to sex differences. We also elaborate on obesity-induced inflammation and its role in the altered actions of leptin during obesity.
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14
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Baumer-Harrison C, Breza JM, Sumners C, Krause EG, de Kloet AD. Sodium Intake and Disease: Another Relationship to Consider. Nutrients 2023; 15:535. [PMID: 36771242 PMCID: PMC9921152 DOI: 10.3390/nu15030535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Sodium (Na+) is crucial for numerous homeostatic processes in the body and, consequentially, its levels are tightly regulated by multiple organ systems. Sodium is acquired from the diet, commonly in the form of NaCl (table salt), and substances that contain sodium taste salty and are innately palatable at concentrations that are advantageous to physiological homeostasis. The importance of sodium homeostasis is reflected by sodium appetite, an "all-hands-on-deck" response involving the brain, multiple peripheral organ systems, and endocrine factors, to increase sodium intake and replenish sodium levels in times of depletion. Visceral sensory information and endocrine signals are integrated by the brain to regulate sodium intake. Dysregulation of the systems involved can lead to sodium overconsumption, which numerous studies have considered causal for the development of diseases, such as hypertension. The purpose here is to consider the inverse-how disease impacts sodium intake, with a focus on stress-related and cardiometabolic diseases. Our proposition is that such diseases contribute to an increase in sodium intake, potentially eliciting a vicious cycle toward disease exacerbation. First, we describe the mechanism(s) that regulate each of these processes independently. Then, we highlight the points of overlap and integration of these processes. We propose that the analogous neural circuitry involved in regulating sodium intake and blood pressure, at least in part, underlies the reciprocal relationship between neural control of these functions. Finally, we conclude with a discussion on how stress-related and cardiometabolic diseases influence these circuitries to alter the consumption of sodium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Baumer-Harrison
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Joseph M. Breza
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA
| | - Colin Sumners
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Eric G. Krause
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Annette D. de Kloet
- Department of Physiology and Aging, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32603, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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15
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Althammer F, Wimmer MC, Krabichler Q, Küppers S, Schimmer J, Fröhlich H, Dötsch L, Gruber T, Wunsch S, Schubert T, Kirchner MK, Stern JE, Charlet A, Grinevich V, Schaaf CP. Analysis of the hypothalamic oxytocin system and oxytocin receptor-expressing astrocytes in a mouse model of Prader-Willi syndrome. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13217. [PMID: 36458331 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by hyperphagia, obesity, developmental delay and intellectual disability. Studies suggest dysfunctional signaling of the neuropeptide oxytocin as one of the key mechanisms in PWS, and administration of oxytocin via intranasal or systemic routes yielded promising results in both humans and mouse models. However, a detailed assessment of the oxytocin system in mouse models of PWS such as the Magel2-deficient Magel2tm1.Stw mouse, is lacking. In the present study, we performed an automated counting of oxytocin cells in the entire paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus of Magel2tm1.Stw and wild-type control mice and found a significant reduction in the caudal part, which represents the parvocellular subdivision. In addition, based on the recent discovery that some astrocytes express the oxytocin receptor (OTR), we performed detailed analysis of astrocyte numbers and morphology in various brain regions, and assessed expression levels of the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein, which was significantly decreased in the hypothalamus, but not other brain regions in Magel2tm1.Stw mice. Finally, we analyzed the number of OTR-expressing astrocytes in various brain regions and found a significant reduction in the nucleus accumbens of Magel2tm1.Stw mice, as well as a sex-specific difference in the lateral septum. This study suggests a role for caudal paraventricular nucleus oxytocin neurons as well as OTR-expressing astrocytes in a mouse model of PWS, provides novel information about sex-specific expression of astrocytic OTRs, and presents several new brain regions containing OTR-expressing astrocytes in the mouse brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Quirin Krabichler
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stephanie Küppers
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jonas Schimmer
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Henning Fröhlich
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laura Dötsch
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim Gruber
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Selina Wunsch
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim Schubert
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthew K Kirchner
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Javier E Stern
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alexandre Charlet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, Strasbourg, France
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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16
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Das S, Komnenov D, Newhouse L, Rishi AK, Rossi NF. Paraventricular Nucleus V 1a Receptor Knockdown Blunts Neurocardiovascular Responses to Acute Stress in Male Rats after Chronic Mild Unpredictable Stress. Physiol Behav 2022; 253:113867. [PMID: 35661787 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Chronic stress and depression impart increased risk for adverse cardiovascular events. Autonomic dysregulation, particularly sympathoexcitation, has long been associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes. Vasopressin (AVP) receptors with the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), known as an integrating locus for hemodynamic and autonomic function, have been implicated in behavior and stress. The present studies were designed to test the hypothesis that knockdown of vasopressin V1aR within the PVN in male Sprague Dawley rats subjected to chronic mild unpredictable stress (CMS) would result in lower resting hemodynamics and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and mitigate the responses to acute stressors. Male rats underwent CMS for 4 weeks; controls were housed in standard caging. Twenty days into the paradigm, the PVN was injected with either small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against V1aR or scrambled RNA (scrRNA). Arterial pressure, heart rate and RSNA were ascertained by telemetry with the animals in their home cages. Pretreatment with siRNA to V1aR prevented the increase in arterial pressure to PVN microinjection with exogenous AVP. Basal mean arterial pressure (MAP) was significantly higher in scrRNA-treated but not in siRNA-treated CMS rats vs control rats. Paradoxically, basal RSNA was approximately two-fold higher in siRNA-treated CMS rats. Acute emotional stress delivered as 15-sec air-jet resulted in greater peak and duration of the MAP and RSNA responses in scrRNA-treated CMS rats vs control; siRNA treatment inhibited the responses. The 15-sec exposure to ammonia to test the nasopharyngeal reflex, whose circuitry does not include the PVN, produced similar increases in arterial pressure, heart rate, and RSNA in controls and both groups of CMS rats. Thus, CMS increases arterial pressure and predisposes to greater hemodynamic and RSNA responses to acute emotional stress. The higher basal RSNA in siRNA-treated rats may be due to functional and/or anatomical neuroplasticity occurring during more protracted inhibition of V1aR PVN signaling. Vasopressinergic signaling via V1aR in PVN modulates the cardiovascular and sympathetic responses to both the chronic and acute stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shibandri Das
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual, and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, US
| | - Dragana Komnenov
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Physiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, US
| | - Lauren Newhouse
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, US
| | - Arun K Rishi
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University, US; John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, US
| | - Noreen F Rossi
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Physiology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, US; John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, US.
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17
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Miyata S, Ishino Y, Shimizu S, Tohyama M. Involvement of inflammatory responses in the brain to the onset of major depressive disorder due to stress exposure. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:934346. [PMID: 35936767 PMCID: PMC9354609 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.934346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a multifactorial disease affected by several environmental factors. Although several potential onset hypotheses have been identified, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of this disorder remain unclear. Several recent studies have suggested that among many environmental factors, inflammation and immune abnormalities in the brain or the peripheral tissues are associated with the onset of MDDs. Furthermore, several stress-related hypotheses have been proposed to explain the onset of MDDs. Thus, inflammation or immune abnormalities can be considered stress responses that occur within the brain or other tissues and are regarded as one of the mechanisms underlying the stress hypothesis of MDDs. Therefore, we introduce several current advances in inflammation studies in the brain that might be related to the pathophysiology of MDD due to stress exposure in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shingo Miyata
- Division of Molecular Brain Science, Research Institute of Traditional Asian Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka, Japan
- *Correspondence: Shingo Miyata
| | - Yugo Ishino
- Division of Molecular Brain Science, Research Institute of Traditional Asian Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shoko Shimizu
- Division of Molecular Brain Science, Research Institute of Traditional Asian Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaya Tohyama
- Division of Molecular Brain Science, Research Institute of Traditional Asian Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka, Japan
- Osaka Prefectural Hospital Organization, Osaka, Japan
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18
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Roy RK, Ferreira-Neto HC, Felder RB, Stern JE. Angiotensin II inhibits the A-type K + current of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus neurons in rats with heart failure: role of MAPK-ERK1/2 signaling. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2022; 322:R526-R534. [PMID: 35319903 PMCID: PMC9076419 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00308.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Angiotensin II (ANG II)-mediated sympathohumoral activation constitutes a pathophysiological mechanism in heart failure (HF). Although the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a major site mediating ANG II effects in HF, the precise mechanisms by which ANG II influences sympathohumoral outflow from the PVN remain unknown. ANG II activates the ubiquitous intracellular MAPK signaling cascades, and recent studies revealed a key role for ERK1/2 MAPK signaling in ANG II-mediated sympathoexcitation in HF rats. Importantly, ERK1/2 was reported to inhibit the transient outward potassium current (IA) in hippocampal neurons. Given that IA is a critical determinant of the PVN neuronal excitability, and that downregulation of IA in the brain has been reported in cardiovascular disease states, including HF, we investigated here whether ANG II modulates IA in PVN neurons via the MAPK-ERK pathway, and, whether these effects are altered in HF rats. Patch-clamp recordings from identified magnocellular neurosecretory neurons (MNNs) and presympathetic (PS) PVN neurons revealed that ANG II inhibited IA in both PVN neuronal types, both in sham and HF rats. Importantly, ANG II effects were blocked by inhibiting MAPK-ERK signaling as well as by inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a gateway to MAPK-ERK signaling. Although no differences in basal IA magnitude were found between sham and HF rats under normal conditions, MAPK-ERK blockade resulted in significantly larger IA in both PVN neuronal types in HF rats. Taken together, our studies show that ANG II-induced ERK1/2 activity inhibits IA, an effect expected to increase the excitability of presympathetic and neuroendocrine PVN neurons, contributing in turn to the neurohumoral overactivity that promotes progression of the HF syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjan K Roy
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Robert B Felder
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Javier E Stern
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
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19
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Elsaafien K, Harden SW, Johnson DN, Kimball AK, Sheng W, Smith JA, Scott KA, Frazier CJ, de Kloet AD, Krause EG. A Novel Organ-Specific Approach to Selectively Target Sensory Afferents Innervating the Aortic Arch. Front Physiol 2022; 13:841078. [PMID: 35399269 PMCID: PMC8987286 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.841078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain maintains cardiovascular homeostasis, in part, via the arterial baroreflex which senses changes in blood pressure (BP) at the level of the aortic arch. Sensory afferents innervating the aortic arch employ baroreceptors to convert stretch exerted on the arterial wall into action potentials carried by the vagus nerve to second order neurons residing within the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Although the baroreflex was described more than 80 years ago, the specific molecular, structural, and functional phenotype of the baroreceptors remain uncharacterized. This is due to the lack of tools that provide the genetic and target organ specificity that is required to selectively characterize baroreceptor afferents. Here, we use a novel approach to selectively target baroreceptors. Male mice on a C57BL/6J background were anesthetized with isoflurane, intubated, and artificially ventilated. Following sternotomy, the aortic arch was exposed, and a retrograde adeno-associated virus was applied to the aortic arch to direct the expression of channelrhoropsin-2 (ChR2) and/or tdTomato (tdTom) to sensory afferents presumably functioning as baroreceptors. Consistent with the structural characteristics of arterial baroreceptors, robust tdTom expression was observed in nerve endings surrounding the aortic arch, within the fibers of the aortic depressor and vagus nerves, cell bodies of the nodose ganglia (NDG), and neural projections to the caudal NTS (cNTS). Additionally, the tdTom labeled cell bodies within the NDG also expressed mRNAs coding for the mechanically gated ion channels, PIEZO-1 and PIEZO-2. In vitro electrophysiology revealed that pulses of blue light evoked excitatory post-synaptic currents in a subset of neurons within the cNTS, suggesting a functional connection between the labeled aortic arch sensory afferents and second order neurons. Finally, the in vivo optogenetic stimulation of the cell bodies of the baroreceptor expressing afferents in the NDG produced robust depressor responses. Together, these results establish a novel approach for selectively targeting sensory neurons innervating the aortic arch. This approach may be used to investigate arterial baroreceptors structurally and functionally, and to assess their role in the etiology or reversal of cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Elsaafien
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Scott W. Harden
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Dominique N. Johnson
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Aecha K. Kimball
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Wanhui Sheng
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Justin A. Smith
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Karen A. Scott
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Charles J. Frazier
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Annette D. de Kloet
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Annette D. de Kloet,
| | - Eric G. Krause
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Eric G. Krause,
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Nakamura K, Morrison SF. Central sympathetic network for thermoregulatory responses to psychological stress. Auton Neurosci 2021; 237:102918. [PMID: 34823147 DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2021.102918] [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: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, many types of psychological stressors elicit a variety of sympathoexcitatory responses paralleling the classic fight-or-flight response to a threat to survival, including increased body temperature via brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and cutaneous vasoconstriction, and increased skeletal muscle blood flow via tachycardia and visceral vasoconstriction. Although these responses are usually supportive for stress coping, aberrant sympathetic responses to stress can lead to clinical issues in psychosomatic medicine. Sympathetic stress responses are mediated mostly by sympathetic premotor drives from the rostral medullary raphe region (rMR) and partly by those from the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). Hypothalamomedullary descending pathways from the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) to the rMR and RVLM mediate important, stress-driven sympathoexcitatory transmission to the premotor neurons to drive the thermal and cardiovascular responses. The DMH also likely sends an excitatory input to the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus to stimulate stress hormone release. Neurons in the DMH receive a stress-related excitation from the dorsal peduncular cortex and dorsal tenia tecta (DP/DTT) in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. By connecting the corticolimbic emotion circuit to the central sympathetic and somatic motor systems, the DP/DTT → DMH pathway plays as the primary mediator of the psychosomatic signaling that drives a variety of sympathetic and behavioral stress responses. These brain regions together with other stress-related regions constitute a central neural network for physiological stress responses. This network model is relevant to understanding the central mechanisms by which stress and emotions affect autonomic regulations of homeostasis and to developing new therapeutic strategies for various stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Nakamura
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Shaun F Morrison
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
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Pittman QJ. Vasopressin and central control of the cardiovascular system: A 40-year retrospective. J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e13011. [PMID: 34235812 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
In the 40 years since vasopressin (AVP) was reported to have a central action with respect to raising blood pressure, the finding has been repeatedly replicated using a variety of complimentary approaches. The role of AVP as a central neurotransmitter involved in control of the cardiovascular system is now textbook material. However, it is evident that brain AVP plays, at best, a minor role in regulation of normal blood pressure. However, it appears to be an important player in a several cardiovascular-associated pathologies, ranging from hypertension to neural changes associated with heart failure. There are many interventions that have been shown to affect neural function, many of which are associated with alterations in behaviour. Possible alterations in neuronal AVP actions relevant to cardiovascular control in the setting of chronic inflammatory disease, early-life stress and inflammation are suggested areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin J Pittman
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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