1
|
Appleman ML, Thomas JL, Weiss AR, Nilaver BI, Cervera-Juanes R, Kohama SG, Urbanski HF. Effect of hormone replacement therapy on amyloid beta (Aβ) plaque density in the rhesus macaque amygdala. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 15:1326747. [PMID: 38274989 PMCID: PMC10808750 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1326747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Amyloid beta (Aβ) plaque density was examined in the amygdala of rhesus macaques, to elucidate the influence of age, diet and hormonal environment. Methods Luminex technology was used to measure cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of Aβ40 and Aβ42 across three decades, while immunohistochemistry was used to examine Aβ plaque density in the amygdala. Results Aβ40 was found to be the predominant isoform of Aβ in the CSF, but neither Aβ40 or Aβ42 concentrations showed an age-related change, and the ratio of Aβ42 to Aβ40 showed only a marginal increase. Significantly fewer Aβ plaques were detected in the amygdala of old ovariectomized animals if they received estradiol HRT (p < 0.001); similar results were obtained regardless of whether they had been maintained on a regular monkey chow for ∼48 months or on a high-fat, high-sugar, Western-style diet for ∼30 months. Conclusion The results demonstrate that HRT involving estrogen can reduce Aβ plaque load in a cognitive brain region of aged non-human primates. The results from this translational animal model may therefore have clinical relevance to the treatment of AD in post-menopausal women, whether used alone, or as a supplement to current pharmacological and monoclonal antibody-based interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Luisa Appleman
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Jeremy L. Thomas
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Alison R. Weiss
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Benjamin I. Nilaver
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Rita Cervera-Juanes
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Steven G. Kohama
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Henryk F. Urbanski
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
- Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Thomas JL, Nilaver BI, Lomniczi A, Brown DI, Appleman ML, Kohama SG, Urbanski HF. Pathological Markers of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia in the Rhesus Macaque Amygdala. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2024; 8:25-32. [PMID: 38229831 PMCID: PMC10790150 DOI: 10.3233/adr-230184] [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: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Rhesus macaques develop amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques during old age, but it is unclear how extensively they express other pathological hallmarks of dementia. Here we used immunohistochemistry to examine expression of phosphorylated tau (pTau) protein and cytoplasmic inclusions of TAR DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) within the amygdala of young and old males, and also in old surgically-menopausal females that were maintained on regular or obesogenic diets. Only one animal, a 23-year-old female, showed pTau expression and none showed TDP-43 inclusions. What genetic and/or environmental factors protect macaques from expressing more severe human neuro-pathologies remains an interesting unresolved question.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy L. Thomas
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Benjamin I. Nilaver
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Alejandro Lomniczi
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Donald I. Brown
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Maria-Luisa Appleman
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Steven G. Kohama
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Henryk F. Urbanski
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cervera-Juanes R, Darakjian P, Ball M, Kohama SG, Urbanski HF. Effects of estradiol supplementation on the brain transcriptome of old rhesus macaques maintained on an obesogenic diet. GeroScience 2022; 44:229-252. [PMID: 34642852 PMCID: PMC8810962 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-021-00453-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity, the cessation of ovarian steroids with menopause, and age are risk factors for mood disorders, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, immediate hormone therapy (HT) after menopause may have beneficial effects in different brain regions involved in memory and cognition. To more closely replicate the age, endocrine, and metabolic environment of obese postmenopausal women, either on or off HT, middle-aged female rhesus macaques were ovariectomized/hysterectomized (OvH) and maintained on a high-fat, high-sugar, obesogenic Western-style diet (WSD) for 30 months; half of the animals received HT immediately after OvH and half served as placebo controls. RNAseq of the occipital (OC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus (HIP), and amygdala (AMG) identified 293, 379, 505, and 4993 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. Pathway enrichment analysis identified an activation of neuroinflammation in OC and HIP, but an inhibition in the AMG with HT. Synaptogenesis, circadian rhythm, mitochondrial dysfunction, mTOR, glutamate, serotonin, GABA, dopamine, epinephrine/norepinephrine, glucocorticoid receptor signaling, neuronal NOS, and amyloid processing were exclusively enriched in AMG. As compared to the placebo control group, most of these signaling pathways are downregulated after HT, suggesting a protective effect of HT in OvH females under a WSD. Overall, our results suggest that a chronic obesogenic diet may induce a wide range of alterations in multiple signaling pathways that are linked to age-associated brain pathology and dementia. In these individuals, HT seems to have a protective effect against neuroinflammation, amyloid beta depositions, and tau tangle formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rita Cervera-Juanes
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA.
| | - Priscila Darakjian
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Megan Ball
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Steven G Kohama
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Henryk F Urbanski
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zimmerman B, Kundu P, Liu Z, Urbanski HF, Kroenke CD, Kohama SG, Bethea CL, Raber J. Longitudinal Effects of Immediate and Delayed Estradiol on Cognitive Performance in a Spatial Maze and Hippocampal Volume in Menopausal Macaques Under an Obesogenic Diet. Front Neurol 2020; 11:539. [PMID: 32670182 PMCID: PMC7326936 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The consumption of a diet high in fat and refined sugars has several health risks, including the development of cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. For women, menopause carries additional health risks that may interact with a high-fat diet in negative ways. Some symptoms of menopause, including cognitive impairments, can be modulated by hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but the hormonal formulation and the timing of the treatment relative to the onset of menopause are critical factors determining its efficacy. Little is known about how obesogenic, high-fat, high-sugar diets interact with HRT in menopause to affect cognition and neurodegeneration. Given the high prevalence of the consumption of an obesogenic Western-style diet, understanding how the effects of HRT are modulated by an obesogenic diet is critical for developing optimized therapeutic strategies for peri- and post-menopausal women. In this study, we investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the effects of either immediate or delayed estradiol hormone therapy on cognition and neuroanatomy following ovo-hysterectomy (OvH) of aged, female rhesus macaques on an obesogenic diet. The macaques were followed for 2.5 years after ovo-hysterectomy, with four time points at which anatomical MRIs were acquired. Analysis of hippocampal volumes revealed an interaction between time point and treatment; hippocampal volumes in the delayed estrogen group, but not the immediate estrogen group, increased over time compared to those in untreated controls. Performance on a hippocampal-dependent spatial maze task showed improved performance in estrogen treated animals compared to OvH macaques given placebo. These results indicate that HRT may contribute to beneficial cognitive outcomes after menopause under an obesogenic diet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Zimmerman
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Payel Kundu
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Zheng Liu
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Henryk F Urbanski
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Christopher D Kroenke
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Steven G Kohama
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Cynthia L Bethea
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States.,Division of Reproductive and Developmental Science, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Jacob Raber
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, United States.,Departments of Neurology and Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Epelbaum J, Terrien J. Mini-review: Aging of the neuroendocrine system: Insights from nonhuman primate models. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 100:109854. [PMID: 31891735 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The neuroendocrine system (NES) plays a crucial role in synchronizing the physiology and behavior of the whole organism in response to environmental constraints. The NES consists of a hypothalamic-pituitary-target organ axis that acts in coordination to regulate growth, reproduction, stress and basal metabolism. The growth (or somatotropic), hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG), hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axes are therefore finely tuned by the hypothalamus through the successive release of hypothalamic and pituitary hormones to control the downstream physiological functions. These functions rely on a complex set of mechanisms requiring tight synchronization between peripheral organs and the hypothalamic-pituitary complex, whose functionality can be altered during aging. Here, we review the results of research on the effects of aging on the NES of nonhuman primate (NHP) species in wild and captive conditions. A focus on the age-related dysregulation of the master circadian pacemaker, which, in turn, alters the synchronization of the NES with the organism environment, is proposed. Finally, practical and ethical considerations of using NHP models to test the effects of nutrition-based or hormonal treatments to combat the deterioration of the NES are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Epelbaum
- UMR CNRS/MNHN 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, 1 Avenue du Petit Château, 91800 Brunoy, France; Unité Mixte de Recherche en Santé 894 INSERM, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Jérémy Terrien
- UMR CNRS/MNHN 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, 1 Avenue du Petit Château, 91800 Brunoy, France.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Clemenzi MN, Martchenko A, Loganathan N, Tse EK, Brubaker PL, Belsham DD. Analysis of Western diet, palmitate and BMAL1 regulation of neuropeptide Y expression in the murine hypothalamus and BMAL1 knockout cell models. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 507:110773. [PMID: 32114021 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Western diets that are high in saturated fat and sugar disrupt circadian rhythms, induce weight gain, and lead to metabolic diseases including obesity. However, the mechanistic link between altered circadian rhythms and energy homeostasis remains poorly understood. In C57BL/6J mice, consuming a Western diet for 16 weeks significantly reduced food intake (at zeitgeber 12-16), in association with decreases in hypothalamic expression of the orexigenic neuropeptides, neuropeptide Y (Npy) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP). To examine the acute effects of the most prevalent saturated fatty acid in a Western diet, palmitate, and the role of the core clock gene, Bmal1, in the regulation of hypothalamic feeding neuropeptides, we used heterogeneous and clonal BMAL1 knockout (KO) immortalized hypothalamic cell lines, expressing specific neuropeptides, derived from male (M) and female (F) mice. Both mHypoA-BMAL1-KO/F and mHypoA-BMAL1-KO/M cells demonstrated a loss of circadian rhythmicity in expression of the clock gene, Per2, as compared to wild-type (control) cultures. Loss of BMAL1 also altered the time-dependent expression of Npy and proopiomelanocortin, and disrupted AgRP rhythmicity. Furthermore, palmitate increased BMAL1 binding to the Npy promotor region, and palmitate treatment (50 μM for 24 h) stimulated Npy expression in a BMAL1-dependent manner in both heterogeneous and clonal NPY-expressing female-derived cell models. The results of this study demonstrate that circadian expression of Bmal1 serves as a mechanistic link between Western diet- and palmitate-induced disruptions of the normal rhythmic patterns in hypothalamic feeding-related neuropeptides.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Neruja Loganathan
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Erika K Tse
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Patricia L Brubaker
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Denise D Belsham
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ovarian estradiol supports sexual behavior but not energy homeostasis in female marmoset monkeys. Int J Obes (Lond) 2018; 43:1034-1045. [PMID: 30022054 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-018-0156-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In adult female rodents, ovarian estradiol (E2) regulates body weight, adiposity, energy balance, physical activity, glucose-insulin homeodynamics, and lipid metabolism, while protecting against diet-induced obesity. The same E2 actions are presumed to occur in primates, but confirmatory studies have been lacking. METHODS We investigated the consequences of ovariectomy (OVX) and E2 replacement in female marmoset monkeys on major metabolic and morphometric endpoints. Sexual behavior and uterine diameters were assessed as positive controls for E2 treatment efficacy. Metabolic parameters were measured 1 mo prior to OVX, and 3 and 6 mo thereafter. During OVX, animals received empty or E2-containing silastic s.c. implants. To test the interaction between E2 and diet, both treatment groups were assigned to either a higher fat diet (HFD) or a low-fat diet (LFD). RESULTS As anticipated, OVX animals exhibited diminished frequency (p = 0.04) of sexually receptive behavior and increased rejection behavior (p = 0.04) toward their male partners compared with E2-treated OVX females. OVX also decreased (p = 0.01) uterine diameter. There were no treatment effects on total caloric intake. There were no significant effects of OVX, E2 treatment, or diet on body weight, body composition, energy expenditure, physical activity, fasting glucose, or glucose tolerance. Regardless of E2 treatment, serum triglycerides were higher (p = 0.05) in HFD than LFD females. Postmortem qPCR analysis of hypothalamic tissues revealed higher mRNA expression (p < 0.001) for PGR in E2-treated monkeys versus OVX controls regardless of diet, but no differences between groups in other selected metabolic genes. In contrast, regardless of E2 treatment, there was a decreased mRNA expression of PGC1α (PPARGC1A), HTR1A, and HTR5A in HFD compared with LFD females. CONCLUSIONS Our findings, overall, document a greatly diminished role for ovarian E2 in the metabolic physiology of a female primate, and encourage consideration that primates, including humans, evolved metabolic control systems regulated by extra-ovarian E2 or are generally less subject to E2 regulation.
Collapse
|
8
|
Coleman K, Robertson ND, Maier A, Bethea CL. Effects of Immediate or Delayed Estradiol on Behavior in Old Menopausal Macaques on Obesogenic Diet. J Obes 2018; 2018:1810275. [PMID: 30363801 PMCID: PMC6181005 DOI: 10.1155/2018/1810275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Macaques have served as effective models of human disease, including pathological processes associated with obesity and the metabolic syndrome. This study approached several questions: (1) does a western-style diet (WSD) contribute to sedentary behavior or is sedentary behavior a consequence of obesity and (2) does estradiol (E) hormone therapy offset WSD or ameliorate sedentary behavior? We further questioned whether the timing of E administration (immediately following hysterectomy, ImE; or after a 2-year delay, DE) would impact behavior. Focal observations were taken on the animals in social housing over a period of 2.5 years before and after initiation of the WSD and hysterectomy. In addition, anxiety was assessed through the Human Intruder and Novel Object Tests. All animals gained weight, but ImE delayed the time to maximum weight achieved at 18 months. Over the course of the study, ImE-treated monkeys spent more time "alone" and less time in "close social" contact than placebo-controls. The DE-treated monkeys were not different from placebo-controls in these 2 outcomes. The placebo-control group exhibited more "self-groom" behavior, an indicator of anxiety, than did the ImE-treated group, and DE-treated animals approached levels observed in the ImE-treated animals. All animals exhibited an increase in "consume" behavior over time with no statistical difference between the groups. By the end of the protocol, the placebo-control group exhibited less activity compared to ImE + DE-treated animals combined. Animals also showed increased anxiety after starting on the WSD in the Human Intruder Test and the Novel Object Test. In summary, the data indicated that WSD per se promoted increased consummatory behavior, sedentary behavior, and anxiety-type behaviors, whereas ImE promoted activity. Thus, WSD may precipitate the behaviors observed in humans who then become obese, sedentary, anxious, and socially isolated. ImE replacement ameliorates some of these behaviors, but not all.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Coleman
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Behavioral Sciences Unit, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Nicola D. Robertson
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Behavioral Sciences Unit, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Adriane Maier
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Behavioral Sciences Unit, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Cynthia L. Bethea
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| |
Collapse
|