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Koster KP, Flores-Barrera E, Artur de la Villarmois E, Caballero A, Tseng KY, Yoshii A. Loss of Depalmitoylation Disrupts Homeostatic Plasticity of AMPARs in a Mouse Model of Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis. J Neurosci 2023; 43:8317-8335. [PMID: 37884348 PMCID: PMC10711723 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1113-23.2023] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein palmitoylation is the only reversible post-translational lipid modification. Palmitoylation is held in delicate balance by depalmitoylation to precisely regulate protein turnover. While over 20 palmitoylation enzymes are known, depalmitoylation is conducted by fewer enzymes. Of particular interest is the lack of the depalmitoylating enzyme palmitoyl-protein thioesterase 1 (PPT1) that causes the devastating pediatric neurodegenerative condition infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (CLN1). While most of the research on Ppt1 function has centered on its role in the lysosome, recent findings demonstrated that many Ppt1 substrates are synaptic proteins, including the AMPA receptor (AMPAR) subunit GluA1. Still, the impact of Ppt1-mediated depalmitoylation on synaptic transmission and plasticity remains elusive. Thus, the goal of the present study was to use the Ppt1 -/- mouse model (both sexes) to determine whether Ppt1 regulates AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission and plasticity, which are crucial for the maintenance of homeostatic adaptations in cortical circuits. Here, we found that basal excitatory transmission in the Ppt1 -/- visual cortex is developmentally regulated and that chemogenetic silencing of the Ppt1 -/- visual cortex excessively enhanced the synaptic expression of GluA1. Furthermore, triggering homeostatic plasticity in Ppt1 -/- primary neurons caused an exaggerated incorporation of GluA1-containing, calcium-permeable AMPARs, which correlated with increased GluA1 palmitoylation. Finally, Ca2+ imaging in awake Ppt1 -/- mice showed visual cortical neurons favor a state of synchronous firing. Collectively, our results elucidate a crucial role for Ppt1 in AMPAR trafficking and show that impeded proteostasis of palmitoylated synaptic proteins drives maladaptive homeostatic plasticity and abnormal recruitment of cortical activity in CLN1.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neuronal communication is orchestrated by the movement of receptors to and from the synaptic membrane. Protein palmitoylation is the only reversible post-translational lipid modification, a process that must be balanced precisely by depalmitoylation. The significance of depalmitoylation is evidenced by the discovery that mutation of the depalmitoylating enzyme palmitoyl-protein thioesterase 1 (Ppt1) causes severe pediatric neurodegeneration. In this study, we found that the equilibrium provided by Ppt1-mediated depalmitoylation is critical for AMPA receptor (AMPAR)-mediated plasticity and associated homeostatic adaptations of synaptic transmission in cortical circuits. This finding complements the recent explosion of palmitoylation research by emphasizing the necessity of balanced depalmitoylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin P Koster
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612
| | - Eden Flores-Barrera
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612
| | | | - Adriana Caballero
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612
| | - Kuei Y Tseng
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612
| | - Akira Yoshii
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612
- Department of Neurology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612
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Yildirim V, Simsek S, Cetin I, Dokuyucu R. Kynurenine, Kynurenic Acid, Quinolinic Acid and Interleukin-6 Levels in the Serum of Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1906. [PMID: 38003955 PMCID: PMC10673218 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59111906] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: It is known that inflammatory processes play a role in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is also reported that immune activation induces the kynurenine pathway (KP), as known as the tryptophan destruction pathway. In our study, we aimed to investigate whether the serum levels of KP products and interleukin (IL)-6 activating indolamine 2-3 dioxygenase (IDO) enzyme are different in healthy developing children and children with ASD. Materials and Methods: Forty-three ASD children aged 2-9 were included in this study. Forty-two healthy developing children, similar to the patient group in terms of age and gender, were selected as the control group. Serum levels of kynurenic acid, kynurenine, quinolinic acid and IL-6 were analyzed using the ELISA method. ASD severity was evaluated with the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Results: The mean age of children with ASD was 42.4 ± 20.5 months, and that of healthy controls was 48.1 ± 15.8 months. While the serum levels of kynurenic acid, kynurenine and interleukin-6 were higher in the group with ASD (p < 0.05), there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in terms of the quinolinic acid level. There was no significant difference between the ABC total and subscale scores of children with ASD and biochemical parameters (p > 0.05). Conclusions: We conclude that these biomarkers must be measured in all ASD cases. They may be important for the diagnosis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veli Yildirim
- Special Clinic, Department of Child Psychiatry, Yenişehir, Mersin 33110, Turkey;
| | - Seref Simsek
- Special Clinic, Department of Child Psychiatry, Antalya 07000, Turkey;
| | - Ihsan Cetin
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, Batman University, Batman 72040, Turkey;
| | - Recep Dokuyucu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Atlas University, Istanbul 34413, Turkey
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3
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Marottoli FM, Zhang H, Flores-Barrera E, Artur de la Villarmois E, Damen FC, Miguelez Fernández AM, Blesson HV, Chaudhary R, Nguyen AL, Nwokeji AE, Talati R, John AS, Madadakere K, Lutz SE, Cai K, Tseng KY, Tai LM. Endothelial Cell APOE3 Regulates Neurovascular, Neuronal, and Behavioral Function. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2023; 43:1952-1966. [PMID: 37650329 PMCID: PMC10521805 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.123.319816] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Specialized brain endothelial cells and human APOE3 are independently important for neurovascular function, yet whether APOE3 expression by endothelial cells contributes to brain function is currently unknown. In the present study, we determined whether the loss of endothelial cell APOE3 impacts brain vascular and neural function. METHODS We developed APOE3fl/fl/Cdh5(PAC)-CreERT2+/- (APOE3Cre+/-) and APOE3fl/fl/Cdh5(PAC)-CreERT2-/- (APOE3Cre-/-, control) mice and induced endothelial cell APOE3 knockdown with tamoxifen at ≈4 to 5 weeks of age. Neurovascular and neuronal function were evaluated by biochemistry, immunohistochemistry, behavioral testing, and electrophysiology at 9 months of age. RESULTS We found that the loss of endothelial APOE3 expression was sufficient to cause neurovascular dysfunction including higher permeability and lower vessel coverage in tandem with deficits in spatial memory and fear memory extinction and a disruption of cortical excitatory/inhibitory balance. CONCLUSIONS Our data collectively support the novel concept that endothelial APOE3 plays a critical role in the regulation of the neurovasculature, neural circuit function, and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felecia M. Marottoli
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Hui Zhang
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Eden Flores-Barrera
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Emilce Artur de la Villarmois
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | | | - Anabel M.M. Miguelez Fernández
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Hannah V. Blesson
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Rohan Chaudhary
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Anthony L. Nguyen
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Amanda E. Nwokeji
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Ruju Talati
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Ashwin S. John
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Kushi Madadakere
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Sarah E. Lutz
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Kejia Cai
- Radiology (F.C.D., K.C.), University of Illinois at Chicago
- Bioengineering (K.C.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Kuei Y. Tseng
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Leon M. Tai
- Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology (F.M.M., H.Z., E.F.-B., E.A.d.l.V., A.M.M.M.F., H.V.B., R.C., A.L.N., A.E.N., R.T., A.S.J., K.M., S.E.L., K.Y.T., L.M.T.), University of Illinois at Chicago
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Tryptophan Challenge in Healthy Controls and People with Schizophrenia: Acute Effects on Plasma Levels of Kynurenine, Kynurenic Acid and 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15081003. [PMID: 36015151 PMCID: PMC9416551 DOI: 10.3390/ph15081003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The pivotal tryptophan (TRP) metabolite kynurenine is converted to several neuroactive compounds, including kynurenic acid (KYNA), which is elevated in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of people with schizophrenia (SZ) and may contribute to cognitive abnormalities in patients. A small proportion of TRP is metabolized to serotonin and further to 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). Notably, KP metabolism is readily affected by immune stimulation. Here, we assessed the acute effects of an oral TRP challenge (6 g) on peripheral concentrations of kynurenine, KYNA and 5-HIAA, as well as the cytokines interferon-γ, TNF-α and interleukin-6, in 22 participants with SZ and 16 healthy controls (HCs) using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. TRP raised the levels of kynurenine, KYNA and 5-HIAA in a time-dependent manner, causing >20-fold, >130-fold and 1.5-fold increases in kynurenine, KYNA and 5-HIAA concentrations, respectively, after 240 min. According to multivariate analyses, neither baseline levels nor the stimulating effects of TRP differed between participants with SZ and HC. Basal cytokine levels did not vary between groups, and remained unaffected by TRP. Although unlikely to be useful diagnostically, measurements of circulating metabolites following an acute TRP challenge may be informative for assessing the in vivo efficacy of drugs that modulate the neosynthesis of KYNA and other products of TRP degradation.
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5
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Liang Y, Xie S, He Y, Xu M, Qiao X, Zhu Y, Wu W. Kynurenine Pathway Metabolites as Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:9484217. [PMID: 35096208 PMCID: PMC8791723 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9484217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that deteriorates cognitive function. Patients with AD generally exhibit neuroinflammation, elevated beta-amyloid (Aβ), tau phosphorylation (p-tau), and other pathological changes in the brain. The kynurenine pathway (KP) and several of its metabolites, especially quinolinic acid (QA), are considered to be involved in the neuropathogenesis of AD. The important metabolites and key enzymes show significant importance in neuroinflammation and AD. Meanwhile, the discovery of changed levels of KP metabolites in patients with AD suggests that KP metabolites may have a prominent role in the pathogenesis of AD. Further, some KP metabolites exhibit other effects on the brain, such as oxidative stress regulation and neurotoxicity. Both analogs of the neuroprotective and antineuroinflammation metabolites and small molecule enzyme inhibitors preventing the formation of neurotoxic and neuroinflammation compounds may have potential therapeutic significance. This review focused on the KP metabolites through the relationship of neuroinflammation in AD, significant KP metabolites, and associated molecular mechanisms as well as the utility of these metabolites as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD. The objective is to provide references to find biomarkers and therapeutic targets for patients with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Liang
- Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Shan Xie
- Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Yanyun He
- Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Manru Xu
- Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Xi Qiao
- Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Yue Zhu
- Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Wenbin Wu
- Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
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Mithaiwala MN, Santana-Coelho D, Porter GA, O’Connor JC. Neuroinflammation and the Kynurenine Pathway in CNS Disease: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications. Cells 2021; 10:1548. [PMID: 34205235 PMCID: PMC8235708 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) remain a significant health, social and economic problem around the globe. The development of therapeutic strategies for CNS conditions has suffered due to a poor understanding of the underlying pathologies that manifest them. Understanding common etiological origins at the cellular and molecular level is essential to enhance the development of efficacious and targeted treatment options. Over the years, neuroinflammation has been posited as a common link between multiple neurological, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. Processes that precipitate neuroinflammatory conditions including genetics, infections, physical injury and psychosocial factors, like stress and trauma, closely link dysregulation in kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan metabolism as a possible pathophysiological factor that 'fuel the fire' in CNS diseases. In this study, we aim to review emerging evidence that provide mechanistic insights between different CNS disorders, neuroinflammation and the KP. We provide a thorough overview of the different branches of the KP pertinent to CNS disease pathology that have therapeutic implications for the development of selected and efficacious treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa N. Mithaiwala
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (M.N.M.); (D.S.-C.); (G.A.P.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio, Mail Code 8864, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Danielle Santana-Coelho
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (M.N.M.); (D.S.-C.); (G.A.P.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio, Mail Code 8864, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Grace A. Porter
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (M.N.M.); (D.S.-C.); (G.A.P.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio, Mail Code 8864, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Jason C. O’Connor
- Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (M.N.M.); (D.S.-C.); (G.A.P.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio, Mail Code 8864, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
- Department of Research, Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, South Texas Veterans Heath System, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
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Stone TW. Relationships and Interactions between Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors and Nicotinic Receptors in the CNS. Neuroscience 2021; 468:321-365. [PMID: 34111447 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although ionotropic glutamate receptors and nicotinic receptors for acetylcholine (ACh) have usually been studied separately, they are often co-localized and functionally inter-dependent. The objective of this review is to survey the evidence for interactions between the two receptor families and the mechanisms underlying them. These include the mutual regulation of subunit expression, which change the NMDA:AMPA response balance, and the existence of multi-functional receptor complexes which make it difficult to distinguish between individual receptor sites, especially in vivo. This is followed by analysis of the functional relationships between the receptors from work on transmitter release, cellular electrophysiology and aspects of behavior where these can contribute to understanding receptor interactions. It is clear that nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) on axonal terminals directly regulate the release of glutamate and other neurotransmitters, α7-nAChRs generally promoting release. Hence, α7-nAChR responses will be prevented not only by a nicotinic antagonist, but also by compounds blocking the indirectly activated glutamate receptors. This accounts for the apparent anticholinergic activity of some glutamate antagonists, including the endogenous antagonist kynurenic acid. The activation of presynaptic nAChRs is by the ambient levels of ACh released from pre-terminal synapses, varicosities and glial cells, acting as a 'volume neurotransmitter' on synaptic and extrasynaptic sites. In addition, ACh and glutamate are released as CNS co-transmitters, including 'cholinergic' synapses onto spinal Renshaw cells. It is concluded that ACh should be viewed primarily as a modulator of glutamatergic neurotransmission by regulating the release of glutamate presynaptically, and the location, subunit composition, subtype balance and sensitivity of glutamate receptors, and not primarily as a classical fast neurotransmitter. These conclusions and caveats should aid clarification of the sites of action of glutamate and nicotinic receptor ligands in the search for new centrally-acting drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor W Stone
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
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8
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Vasistha NA, Khodosevich K. The impact of (ab)normal maternal environment on cortical development. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 202:102054. [PMID: 33905709 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The cortex in the mammalian brain is the most complex brain region that integrates sensory information and coordinates motor and cognitive processes. To perform such functions, the cortex contains multiple subtypes of neurons that are generated during embryogenesis. Newly born neurons migrate to their proper location in the cortex, grow axons and dendrites, and form neuronal circuits. These developmental processes in the fetal brain are regulated to a large extent by a great variety of factors derived from the mother - starting from simple nutrients as building blocks and ending with hormones. Thus, when the normal maternal environment is disturbed due to maternal infection, stress, malnutrition, or toxic substances, it might have a profound impact on cortical development and the offspring can develop a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we first describe the major developmental processes which generate neuronal diversity in the cortex. We then review our knowledge of how most common maternal insults affect cortical development, perturb neuronal circuits, and lead to neurodevelopmental disorders. We further present a concept of selective vulnerability of cortical neuronal subtypes to maternal-derived insults, where the vulnerability of cortical neurons and their progenitors to an insult depends on the time (developmental period), place (location in the developing brain), and type (unique features of a cell type and an insult). Finally, we provide evidence for the existence of selective vulnerability during cortical development and identify the most vulnerable neuronal types, stages of differentiation, and developmental time for major maternal-derived insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navneet A Vasistha
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Konstantin Khodosevich
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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9
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Huang J, Tong J, Zhang P, Zhou Y, Cui Y, Tan S, Wang Z, Yang F, Kochunov P, Chiappelli J, Tian B, Tian L, Tan Y, Hong LE. Effects of neuroactive metabolites of the tryptophan pathway on working memory and cortical thickness in schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:198. [PMID: 33795641 PMCID: PMC8016899 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01311-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A number of tryptophan metabolites known to be neuroactive have been examined for their potential associations with cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Among these metabolites, kynurenic acid (KYNA), 5-hydroxyindole (5-HI), and quinolinic acid (QUIN) are documented in their diverse effects on α-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) and/or N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), two of the receptor types thought to contribute to cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. In this study, serum levels of KYNA, 5-HI, and QUIN were measured in 195 patients with schizophrenia and in 70 healthy controls using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; cognitive performance in MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery and cortical thickness measured by magnetic resonance imaging were obtained. Patients with schizophrenia had significantly lower serum KYNA (p < 0.001) and QUIN (p = 0.02) levels, and increased 5-HI/KYNA (p < 0.001) and QUIN/KYNA ratios (p < 0.001) compared with healthy controls. Multiple linear regression showed that working memory was positively correlated with serum 5-HI levels (t = 2.10, p = 0.04), but inversely correlated with KYNA concentrations (t = -2.01, p = 0.05) in patients. Patients with high 5-HI and low KYNA had better working memory than other subgroups (p = 0.01). Higher 5-HI levels were associated with thicker left lateral orbitofrontal cortex (t = 3.71, p = 2.94 × 10-4) in patients. The different effects of 5-HI and KYNA on working memory may appear consistent with their opposite receptor level mechanisms. Our findings appear to provide a new insight into the dynamic roles of tryptophan pathway metabolites on cognition, which may benefit novel therapeutic development that targets cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junchao Huang
- grid.414351.60000 0004 0530 7044Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jinghui Tong
- grid.414351.60000 0004 0530 7044Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- grid.414351.60000 0004 0530 7044Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanfang Zhou
- grid.414351.60000 0004 0530 7044Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yimin Cui
- grid.411472.50000 0004 1764 1621Department of Pharmacy, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shuping Tan
- grid.414351.60000 0004 0530 7044Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiren Wang
- grid.414351.60000 0004 0530 7044Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fude Yang
- grid.414351.60000 0004 0530 7044Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Peter Kochunov
- grid.411024.20000 0001 2175 4264Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Joshua Chiappelli
- grid.411024.20000 0001 2175 4264Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Baopeng Tian
- grid.414351.60000 0004 0530 7044Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Li Tian
- grid.10939.320000 0001 0943 7661Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Yunlong Tan
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - L. Elliot Hong
- grid.411024.20000 0001 2175 4264Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
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Prefrontal α7nAChR Signaling Differentially Modulates Afferent Drive and Trace Fear Conditioning Behavior in Adolescent and Adult Rats. J Neurosci 2021; 41:1908-1916. [PMID: 33478990 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1941-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased level of kynurenic acid is thought to contribute to the development of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia through an α7nAChR-mediated mechanism in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, it remains unclear to what extent disruption of PFC α7nAChR signaling impacts afferent transmission and its modulation of behavior. Using male rats, we found that PFC infusion of methyllycaconitine (MLA; α7nAChR antagonist) shifts ventral hippocampal-induced local field potential (LFP) suppression to LFP facilitation, an effect only observed in adults. Hippocampal stimulation can also elicit a GluN2B-mediated LFP potentiation (when PFC GABAAR is blocked) that is insensitive to MLA. Conversely, PFC infusion of MLA diminished the gain of amygdalar transmission, which is already enabled by postnatal day (P)30. Behaviorally, the impact of prefrontal MLA on trace fear-conditioning and extinction was also age related. While freezing behavior during conditioning was reduced by MLA only in adults, it elicited opposite effects in adolescent and adult rats during extinction as revealed by the level of reduced and increased freezing response, respectively. We next asked whether the late-adolescent onset of α7nAChR modulation of hippocampal inputs contributes to the age-dependent effect of MLA during extinction. Data revealed that the increased freezing behavior elicited by MLA in adult rats could be driven by a dysregulation of the GluN2B transmission in the PFC. Collectively, these results indicate that distinct neural circuits are recruited during the extinction of trace fear memory in adolescents and adults, likely because of the late-adolescent maturation of the ventral hippocampal-PFC functional connectivity and its modulation by α7nAChR signaling.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Abnormal elevation of the astrocyte-derived metabolite kynurenic acid in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is thought to impair cognitive functions in schizophrenia through an α7nAChR-mediated mechanism. Here, we found that prefrontal α7nAChR signaling is recruited to control the gain of hippocampal and amygdalar afferent transmission in an input-specific, age-related manner during the adolescent transition to adulthood. Behaviorally, prefrontal α7nAChR modulation of trace fear memory was also age-related, likely because of the late-adolescent maturation of the ventral hippocampal pathway and its recruitment of PFC GABAergic transmission enabled by local α7nAChR signaling. Collectively, these results reveal that distinct α7nAChR-sensitive neural circuits contribute to regulate behavior responses in adolescents and adults, particularly those requiring proper integration of hippocampal and amygdalar inputs by the PFC.
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Wright CJ, Rentschler KM, Wagner NTJ, Lewis AM, Beggiato S, Pocivavsek A. Time of Day-Dependent Alterations in Hippocampal Kynurenic Acid, Glutamate, and GABA in Adult Rats Exposed to Elevated Kynurenic Acid During Neurodevelopment. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:734984. [PMID: 34603109 PMCID: PMC8484637 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.734984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypofunction of glutamatergic signaling is causally linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, including psychotic disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Kynurenic acid (KYNA) has been found to be elevated in postmortem brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with psychotic illnesses and may be involved in the hypoglutamatergia and cognitive dysfunction experienced by these patients. As insults during the prenatal period are hypothesized to be linked to the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders, we presently utilized the embryonic kynurenine (EKyn) paradigm to induce a prenatal hit. Pregnant Wistar dams were fed chow laced with kynurenine to stimulate fetal brain KYNA elevation from embryonic day 15 to embryonic day 22. Control dams (ECon) were fed unlaced chow. Plasma and hippocampal tissue from young adult (postnatal day 56) ECon and EKyn male and female offspring were collected at the beginning of the light (Zeitgeber time, ZT 0) and dark (ZT 12) phases to assess kynurenine pathway metabolites. Hippocampal tissue was also collected at ZT 6 and ZT 18. In separate animals, in vivo microdialysis was conducted in the dorsal hippocampus to assess extracellular KYNA, glutamate, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Biochemical analyses revealed no changes in peripheral metabolites, yet hippocampal tissue KYNA levels were significantly impacted by EKyn treatment, and increased in male EKyn offspring at ZT 6. Interestingly, extracellular hippocampal KYNA levels were only elevated in male EKyn offspring during the light phase. Decreases in extracellular glutamate levels were found in the dorsal hippocampus of EKyn male and female offspring, while decreased GABA levels were present only in males during the dark phase. The current findings suggest that the EKyn paradigm may be a useful tool for investigation of sex- and time-dependent changes in hippocampal neuromodulation elicited by prenatal KYNA elevation, which may influence behavioral phenotypes and have translational relevance to psychotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney J Wright
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Katherine M Rentschler
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Nathan T J Wagner
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Ashley M Lewis
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Sarah Beggiato
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Ana Pocivavsek
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
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12
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Muneer A. Kynurenine Pathway of Tryptophan Metabolism in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Pathophysiologic and Therapeutic Considerations. CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 18:507-526. [PMID: 33124585 PMCID: PMC7609208 DOI: 10.9758/cpn.2020.18.4.507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Under physiological conditions 95% of the ingested essential amino acid tryptophan is metabolized by the kynurenine pathway (KP) to yield the ubiquitous co-enzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, fulfilling cellular energy require-ments. Importantly, the intermediaries of KP exert crucial effects throughout the body, including the central nervous system. Besides, KP metabolites are implicated in diverse disease processes such as inflammation/immune disorders, endocrine/metabolic conditions, cancers and neuropsychiatric diseases. A burgeoning body of research indicates that the KP plays a pathogenic role in major psychiatric diseases like mood disorders and schizophrenia. Triggered by inflammatory processes, the balance between neurotoxic and neuroprotective branches of the KP is disturbed. In preclinical models these discrepancies result in behaviors reminiscent of depression and psychosis. In clinical samples, recent studies are discovering key kynurenine pathway abnormalities which incriminate it in the pathogenesis of the main psychiatric disorders. Harnessing this knowledge has the potential to find disease biomarkers helpful in identifying and prognosticating neuropsychiatric disorders. Concurrently, earnest research efforts directed towards manipulating the KP hold the promise of discovering novel pharmacological agents that have therapeutic value. In this manuscript, an in-depth appraisal of the extant literature is done to understand the working of KP as this applies to neuropsychiatric disorders. It is concluded that this pathway plays an overarching role in the development of major psychiatric disorders, the KP metabolites have the potential to serve as disease markers and new medications based on KP modulation can bring lasting cures for patients suffering from these intractable conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ather Muneer
- Islamic International Medical College, Riphah International University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
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13
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Koola MM, Looney SW, Hong H, Pillai A, Hou W. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of galantamine in schizophrenia: significant cognitive enhancement. Psychiatry Res 2020; 291:113285. [PMID: 32763546 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairments are core features of schizophrenia and the best predictor of functional outcome. Cholinergic system and alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine (α7nACh) receptors are strongly implicated in the pathophysiologic mechanisms associated with cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. Galantamine is not only a reversible, competitive inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase but also a type I positive allosteric modulator of α7nACh receptors. The objective of this meta-analysis was to examine the efficacy of galantamine for cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. In the meta-analysis that included six randomized controlled trials (RCTs, N=226), cognitive impairments significantly improved with galantamine compared to placebo, with a small Hedges' g effect size of 0.233. This finding is consistent with other RCTs in schizophrenia with medications with a similar mechanism of action. On the basis of the results from all the failed (although some efficacy has been shown) RCTs to date in schizophrenia, targeting only one pathophysiologic mechanism may be insufficient to detect a clinically meaningful signal. Nicotinergic medications, like any other add-on medications, are unlikely to be effective as stand-alone medications. Hence, these medications may have to be combined with other medications with complementary mechanisms such as glutamatergic/N-methyl-D-aspartate systems to detect a meaningful effect size for the three domains of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maju Mathew Koola
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
| | - Stephen W Looney
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Division of Biostatistics and Data Science, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Houlin Hong
- Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Anilkumar Pillai
- Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Wei Hou
- Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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Downregulation of parvalbumin expression in the prefrontal cortex during adolescence causes enduring prefrontal disinhibition in adulthood. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1527-1535. [PMID: 32403119 PMCID: PMC7360578 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0709-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The expression of the calcium binding protein parvalbumin (PV) has been observed in several cortical regions during development in a temporal pattern consistent with increased afferent-dependent activity. In the prefrontal cortex (PFC), PV expression appears last and continues to substantially increase throughout adolescence, yet the significance of this increase remains unclear. Because of the expression of PV in fast-spiking GABAergic interneurons, we hypothesized that PV upregulation during adolescence is necessary to sustain the increase in GABAergic activity observed in the PFC during this period. To test this hypothesis, we utilized an RNAi strategy to directly downregulate PV levels in the PFC during adolescence and examined its impact on prefrontal GABAergic function, plasticity, and associated behaviors during adulthood. The data indicate that a mere 25% reduction of adult PV levels in the PFC was sufficient to reduce local GABAergic transmission onto pyramidal neurons, disrupt prefrontal excitatory-inhibitory balance, and alter processing of afferent information from the ventral hippocampus. Accordingly, these animals displayed an impairment in the level of extinction learning of a trace fear conditioning response, a behavioral paradigm that requires intact PFC-ventral hippocampus connectivity. These results indicate the PV upregulation observed in the PFC during adolescence is necessary for refinement of prefrontal GABAergic function, the absence of which results in immature afferent processing and a hypofunctional state. Importantly, these results suggest there is a critical window of plasticity during which PV upregulation supports the acquisition of mature GABAergic phenotype necessary to sustain adult PFC functions.
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15
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Prenatal THC exposure raises kynurenic acid levels in the prefrontal cortex of adult rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 100:109883. [PMID: 32032697 PMCID: PMC7260707 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis remains one of the most widely used illicit drugs during pregnancy. The main psychoactive component of marijuana (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC) is correlated with untoward physiological effects in the offspring. Neurobehavioral and cognitive impairments have been reported in longitudinal studies on children and adolescents prenatally exposed to marijuana, and a link to psychiatric disorders has been proposed. Interestingly, the deleterious effects of prenatal cannabis use are similar to those observed in adult rats prenatally exposed to (L)-kynurenine, the direct bioprecursor of the neuroactive metabolite kynurenic acid (KYNA). We therefore investigated whether alterations in KYNA levels in the rat brain might play a role in the long-term consequences of prenatal cannabinoid exposure. Pregnant Wistar rats were treated daily with THC [5 mg/kg, p.o.] from gestational day (GD)5 through GD20. Using in vivo microdialysis in the medial prefrontal cortex, adult animals were then used to determine the extracellular levels of KYNA and glutamate. Compared to controls, extracellular basal KYNA levels were higher, and basal glutamate levels were lower, in prenatally THC-exposed rats. These rats also showed abnormal short-term memory. Following an additional acute challenge with a low dose of kynurenine (5 mg/kg i.p.) in adulthood, the increase in extracellular KYNA levels in the mPFC was more pronounced in in prenatally THC-exposed rats. These effects could be causally related to the cognitive dysfunction seen in prenatally THC-exposed rats. In the translational realm, these experiments raise the prospect of prevention of KYNA neosynthesis as a promising novel approach to combat some of the detrimental long-term effects of prenatal cannabis use.
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16
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Activation of alpha7 nicotinic and NMDA receptors is necessary for performance in a working memory task. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:1723-1735. [PMID: 32162104 PMCID: PMC7313359 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05495-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Working memory deficits are present in schizophrenia (SZ) but remain insufficiently resolved by medications. Similar cognitive dysfunctions can be produced acutely in animals by elevating brain levels of kynurenic acid (KYNA). KYNA's effects may reflect interference with the function of both the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) and the glycineB site of the NMDA receptor. OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to examine, using pharmacological tools, the respective roles of these two receptor sites on performance in a delayed non-match-to-position working memory (WM) task (DNMTP). METHODS DNMTP consisted of 120 trials/session (5, 10, and 15 s delays). Rats received two doses (25 or 100 mg/kg, i.p.) of L-kynurenine (KYN; bioprecursor of KYNA) or L-4-chlorokynurenine (4-Cl-KYN; bioprecursor of the selective glycineB site antagonist 7-Cl-kynurenic acid). Attenuation of KYN- or 4-Cl-KYN-induced deficits was assessed by co-administration of galantamine (GAL, 3 mg/kg) or PAM-2 (1 mg/kg), two positive modulators of α7nAChR function. Reversal of 4-Cl-KYN-induced deficits was examined using D-cycloserine (DCS; 30 mg/kg), a partial agonist at the glycineB site. RESULTS Both KYN and 4-Cl-KYN administration produced dose-related deficits in DNMTP accuracy that were more severe at the longer delays. In KYN-treated rats, these deficits were reversed to control levels by GAL or PAM-2 but not by DCS. In contrast, DCS eliminated performance deficits in 4-Cl-KYN-treated animals. CONCLUSIONS These experiments reveal that both α7nAChR and NMDAR activity are necessary for normal WM accuracy. They provide substantive new support for the therapeutic potential of positive modulators at these two receptor sites in SZ and other major brain diseases.
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17
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MK-801 Exposure during Adolescence Elicits Enduring Disruption of Prefrontal E-I Balance and Its Control of Fear Extinction Behavior. J Neurosci 2020; 40:4881-4887. [PMID: 32430298 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0581-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how disruption of prefrontal cortex (PFC) maturation during adolescence is crucial to reveal which neural processes could contribute to the onset of psychiatric disorders that display frontal cortical deficits. Of particular interest is the gain of GABAergic function in the PFC during adolescence and its susceptibility to the impact of transient blockade of NMDA receptor function. Here we assessed whether exposure to MK-801 during adolescence in male rats triggers a state of excitatory-inhibitory imbalance in the PFC that limits its functional capacity to regulate behavior in adulthood. Recordings from PFC brain slices revealed that MK-801 exposure during adolescence preferentially reduces the presynaptic functionality of GABAergic activity over that of excitatory synapses. As a result, an imbalance of excitatory-inhibitory synaptic activity emerges in the PFC that correlates linearly with the GABAergic deficit. Notably, the data also suggest that the diminished prefrontal GABAergic function could arise from a deficit in the recruitment of fast-spiking interneurons by excitatory inputs during adolescence. At the behavioral level, MK-801 exposure during adolescence did not disrupt the acquisition of trace fear conditioning, but markedly increased the level of freezing response during extinction testing. Infusion of the GABAA receptor-positive allosteric modulator Indiplon into the PFC before extinction testing reduced the level of freezing response in MK-801-treated rats to control levels. Collectively, the results indicate NMDA receptor signaling during adolescence enables the gain of prefrontal GABAergic function, which is required for maintaining proper excitatory-inhibitory balance in the PFC and its control of behavioral responses.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A developmental disruption of prefrontal cortex maturation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of cognitive deficits in psychiatric disorders. Of particular interest is the susceptibility of the local GABAergic circuit to the impact of transient disruption of NMDA receptors. Here we found that NMDA receptor signaling is critical to enable the gain of prefrontal GABAergic transmission during adolescence for maintaining proper levels of excitatory-inhibitory balance in the PFC and its control of behavior.
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18
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Nakazawa K, Sapkota K. The origin of NMDA receptor hypofunction in schizophrenia. Pharmacol Ther 2019; 205:107426. [PMID: 31629007 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.107426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction plays a key role in pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Since NMDAR hypofunction has also been reported in autism, Alzheimer's disease and cognitive dementia, it is crucial to identify the location, timing, and mechanism of NMDAR hypofunction for schizophrenia for better understanding of disease etiology and for novel therapeutic intervention. In this review, we first discuss the shared underlying mechanisms of NMDAR hypofunction in NMDAR antagonist models and the anti-NMDAR autoantibody model of schizophrenia and suggest that NMDAR hypofunction could occur in GABAergic neurons in both models. Preclinical models using transgenic mice have shown that NMDAR hypofunction in cortical GABAergic neurons, in particular parvalbumin-positive fast-spiking interneurons, in the early postnatal period confers schizophrenia-related phenotypes. Recent studies suggest that NMDAR hypofunction can also occur in PV-positive GABAergic neurons with alterations of NMDAR-associated proteins, such as neuregulin/ErbB4, α7nAChR, and serine racemase. Furthermore, several environmental factors, such as oxidative stress, kynurenic acid and hypoxia, may also potentially elicit NMDAR hypofunction in GABAergic neurons in early postnatal period. Altogether, the studies discussed here support a central role for GABAergic abnormalities in the context of NMDAR hypofunction. We conclude by suggesting potential therapeutic strategies to improve the function of fast-spiking neurons.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The objective of this article is to highlight the potential role of the galantamine-memantine combination as a novel antioxidant treatment for schizophrenia. RECENT FINDINGS In addition to the well-known mechanisms of action of galantamine and memantine, these medications also have antioxidant activity. Furthermore, an interplay exists between oxidative stress, inflammation (redox-inflammatory hypothesis), and kynurenine pathway metabolites. Also, there is an interaction between brain-derived neurotrophic factor and oxidative stress in schizophrenia. Oxidative stress may be associated with positive, cognitive, and negative symptoms and impairments in white matter integrity in schizophrenia. The antipsychotic-galantamine-memantine combination may provide a novel strategy in schizophrenia to treat positive, cognitive, and negative symptoms. SUMMARY A "single antioxidant" may be inadequate to counteract the complex cascade of oxidative stress. The galantamine-memantine combination as "double antioxidants" is promising. Hence, randomized controlled trials are warranted with the antipsychotic-galantamine-memantine combination with oxidative stress and antioxidant biomarkers in schizophrenia.
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20
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Marottoli FM, Priego M, Flores-Barrera E, Pisharody R, Zaldua S, Fan KD, Ekkurthi GK, Brady ST, Morfini GA, Tseng KY, Tai LM. EGF Treatment Improves Motor Behavior and Cortical GABAergic Function in the R6/2 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 56:7708-7718. [PMID: 31104296 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-1634-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence indicates that disruption of epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling by mutant huntingtin (polyQ-htt) may contribute to the onset of behavioral deficits observed in Huntington's disease (HD) through a variety of mechanisms, including cerebrovascular dysfunction. Yet, whether EGF signaling modulates the development of HD pathology and the associated behavioral impairments remain unclear. To gain insight on this issue, we used the R6/2 mouse model of HD to assess the impact of chronic EGF treatment on behavior, and cerebrovascular and cortical neuronal functions. We found that bi-weekly treatment with a low dose of EGF (300 µg/kg, i.p.) for 6 weeks was sufficient to effectively improve motor behavior in R6/2 mice and diminish mortality, compared to vehicle-treated littermates. These beneficial effects of EGF treatment were dissociated from changes in cerebrovascular leakiness, a result that was surprising given that EGF ameliorates this deficit in other neurodegenerative diseases. Rather, the beneficial effect of EGF on R6/2 mice behavior was concomitant with a marked amelioration of cortical GABAergic function. As GABAergic transmission in cortical circuits is disrupted in HD, these novel data suggest a potential mechanistic link between deficits in EGF signaling and GABAergic dysfunction in the progression of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felecia M Marottoli
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Mercedes Priego
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Eden Flores-Barrera
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Rohan Pisharody
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Steve Zaldua
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Kelly D Fan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Giri K Ekkurthi
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Scott T Brady
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Gerardo A Morfini
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Kuei Y Tseng
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Leon M Tai
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
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21
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Korte-Bouws GAH, Albers E, Voskamp M, Hendriksen H, de Leeuw LR, Güntürkün O, de Roock S, Vastert SJ, Korte SM. Juvenile Arthritis Patients Suffering from Chronic Inflammation Have Increased Activity of Both IDO and GTP-CH1 Pathways But Decreased BH4 Efficacy: Implications for Well-Being, Including Fatigue, Cognitive Impairment, Anxiety, and Depression. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2019; 12:E9. [PMID: 30625990 PMCID: PMC6469185 DOI: 10.3390/ph12010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) represents joint inflammation with an unknown cause that starts before the age of 16, resulting in stiff and painful joints. In addition, JIA patients often report symptoms of sickness behavior. Recent animal studies suggest that proinflammatory cytokines produce sickness behavior by increasing the activity of indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and guanosinetriphosphate⁻cyclohydrolase-1 (GTP⁻CH1). Here, it is hypothesized that inflammation in JIA patients enhances the enzymatic activity of IDO and GTP-CH1 and decreases the co-factor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4). These compounds play a crucial role in the synthesis and metabolism of neurotransmitters. The aim of our study was to reveal whether inflammation affects both the GTP-CH1 and IDO pathway in JIA patients. Serum samples were collected from twenty-four JIA patients. In these samples, the concentrations of tryptophan (TRP), kynurenine (KYN), tyrosine (TYR), neopterin, and phenylalanine (PHE) were measured. An HPLC method with electrochemical detection was developed to quantify tryptophan, kynurenine, and tyrosine. Neopterin and phenylalanine were quantified by ELISA. The KYN/TRP ratio was measured as an index of IDO activity, while the PHE/TYR ratio was measured as an index of BH4 activity. Neopterin concentrations were used as an indirect measure of GTP-CH1 activity. JIA patients with high disease activity showed higher levels of both neopterin and kynurenine, and a higher ratio of both KYN/TRP and PHE/TYR and lower tryptophan levels than clinically inactive patients. Altogether, these data support our hypothesis that inflammation increases the enzymatic activity of both IDO and GTP-CH1 but decreases the efficacy of the co-factor BH4. In the future, animal studies are needed to investigate whether inflammation-induced changes in these enzymatic pathways and co-factor BH4 lower the levels of the brain neurotransmitters glutamate, noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, and melatonin, and consequently, whether they may affect fatigue, cognition, anxiety, and depression. Understanding of these complex neuroimmune interactions provides new possibilities for Pharma-Food interventions to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from chronic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerdien A H Korte-Bouws
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Faculty of Science, Universities 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Eline Albers
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Faculty of Science, Universities 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Marije Voskamp
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Faculty of Science, Universities 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Hendrikus Hendriksen
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Faculty of Science, Universities 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Lidewij R de Leeuw
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Faculty of Science, Universities 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Department of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, D-44780 Bochum, Germany.
| | - Sytze de Roock
- Paediatric Rheumatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Sebastiaan J Vastert
- Paediatric Rheumatology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Lundlaan 6, 3584 EA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - S Mechiel Korte
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Faculty of Science, Universities 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Department of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, D-44780 Bochum, Germany.
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22
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Koola MM. Potential Role of Antipsychotic-Galantamine-Memantine Combination in the Treatment of Positive, Cognitive, and Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2018; 4:134-148. [PMID: 30643787 PMCID: PMC6323397 DOI: 10.1159/000494495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is, in part, a cognitive illness. There are no approved medications for cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia (CIAS) and primary negative symptoms. Cholinergic and glutamatergic systems, alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine (α-7nACh) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, kynurenic acid (KYNA), and mismatch negativity have been implicated in the pathophysiology of CIAS and negative symptoms. Galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that is also a positive allosteric modulator at the α4β2 and α7nACh receptors. Memantine is a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist. Galantamine and memantine alone and in combination were effective for cognition in animals and people with Alzheimer's disease. The objective of this article is to critically dissect the published randomized controlled trials with galantamine and memantine for CIAS to highlight the efficacy signal. These studies may have failed to detect a clinically meaningful efficacy signal due to limitations, methodological issues, and possible medication nonadherence. There is evidence from a small open-label study that the galantamine-memantine combination may be effective for CIAS with kynurenine pathway metabolites as biomarkers to detect the severity of cognitive impairments. Given that there are no available treatments for cognitive impairments and primary negative symptoms in schizophrenia, testing of this "five-pronged strategy" (quintuple hypotheses: dopamine, nicotinic-cholinergic, glutamatergic/NMDA, GABA, and KYNA) is a "low-risk high-gain" approach that could be a major breakthrough in the field. The galantamine-memantine combination has the potential to treat positive, cognitive, and negative symptoms, and targeting the quintuple hypotheses concurrently may lead to a major scientific advancement - from antipsychotic treatment to antischizophrenia treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maju Mathew Koola
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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23
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Beggiato S, Notarangelo FM, Sathyasaikumar KV, Giorgini F, Schwarcz R. Maternal genotype determines kynurenic acid levels in the fetal brain: Implications for the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. J Psychopharmacol 2018; 32:1223-1232. [PMID: 30354938 DOI: 10.1177/0269881118805492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several studies suggest a pathophysiologically relevant association between increased brain levels of the neuroinhibitory tryptophan metabolite kynurenic acid and cognitive dysfunctions in people with schizophrenia. Elevated kynurenic acid in schizophrenia may be secondary to a genetic alteration of kynurenine 3-monooxygenase, a pivotal enzyme in the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation. In rats, prenatal exposure to kynurenine, the direct bioprecursor of kynurenic acid, induces cognitive impairments reminiscent of schizophrenia in adulthood, suggesting a developmental dimension to the link between kynurenic acid and schizophrenia. AIM The purpose of this study was to explore the possible impact of the maternal genotype on kynurenine pathway metabolism. METHODS We exposed pregnant wild-type ( Kmo+/+ ) and heterozygous ( Kmo+/-) mice to kynurenine (10 mg/day) during the last week of gestation and determined the levels of kynurenic acid and two other neuroactive kynurenine pathway metabolites, 3-hydroxykynurenine and quinolinic acid, in fetal brain and placenta on embryonic day 17/18. RESULTS Maternal kynurenine treatment raised kynurenic acid levels significantly more in the brain of heterozygous offspring of Kmo+/- than in the brain of Kmo+/+ offspring. Conversely, 3-hydroxykynurenine and quinolinic acid levels in the fetal brain tended to be lower in heterozygous animals derived from kynurenine-treated Kmo+/- mice than in corresponding Kmo+/+ offspring. Genotype-related effects on the placenta were qualitatively similar but less pronounced. Kynurenine treatment also caused a preferential elevation in cerebral kynurenic acid levels in Kmo+/- compared to Kmo+/+ dams. CONCLUSIONS The disproportionate kynurenic acid increase in the brain of Kmo+/- animals indicates that the maternal Kmo genotype may play a key role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Beggiato
- 1 Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,2 Laboratory for the Technology of Advanced Therapies (LTTA Centre), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Francesca M Notarangelo
- 3 Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Flaviano Giorgini
- 4 Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Robert Schwarcz
- 3 Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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24
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Tufvesson-Alm M, Schwieler L, Schwarcz R, Goiny M, Erhardt S, Engberg G. Importance of kynurenine 3-monooxygenase for spontaneous firing and pharmacological responses of midbrain dopamine neurons: Relevance for schizophrenia. Neuropharmacology 2018; 138:130-139. [PMID: 29879409 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) is an essential enzyme of the kynurenine pathway, converting kynurenine into 3-hydroxykynurenine. Inhibition of KMO increases kynurenine, resulting in elevated levels of kynurenic acid (KYNA), an endogenous N-methyl-d-aspartate and α*7-nicotinic receptor antagonist. The concentration of KYNA is elevated in the brain of patients with schizophrenia, possibly as a result of a reduced KMO activity. In the present study, using in vivo single cell recording techniques, we investigated the electrophysiological characteristics of ventral tegmental area dopamine (VTA DA) neurons and their response to antipsychotic drugs in a KMO knock-out (K/O) mouse model. KMO K/O mice exhibited a marked increase in spontaneous VTA DA neuron activity as compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Furthermore, VTA DA neurons showed clear-cut, yet qualitatively opposite, responses to the antipsychotic drugs haloperidol and clozapine in the two genotypes. The anti-inflammatory drug parecoxib successfully lowered the firing activity of VTA DA neurons in KMO K/O, but not in WT mice. Minocycline, an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug, produced no effect in this regard. Taken together, the present data further support the usefulness of KMO K/O mice for studying distinct aspects of the pathophysiology and pharmacological treatment of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lilly Schwieler
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robert Schwarcz
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michel Goiny
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sophie Erhardt
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Göran Engberg
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Biomedicum 5C, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
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