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Reinhardt PR, Theis CDC, Juckel G, Freund N. Rodent models for mood disorders - understanding molecular changes by investigating social behavior. Biol Chem 2023; 404:939-950. [PMID: 37632729 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2023-0190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Mood disorders, including depressive and bipolar disorders, are the group of psychiatric disorders with the highest prevalence and disease burden. However, their pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Animal models are an extremely useful tool for the investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders. For psychiatric symptom assessment in animals, a meaningful behavioral phenotype is needed. Social behaviors constitute naturally occurring complex behaviors in rodents and can therefore serve as such a phenotype, contributing to insights into disorder related molecular changes. In this narrative review, we give a fundamental overview of social behaviors in laboratory rodents, as well as their underlying neuronal mechanisms and their assessment. Relevant behavioral and molecular changes in models for mood disorders are presented and an outlook on promising future directions is given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick R Reinhardt
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL-University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44791 Bochum, Germany
- International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Candy D C Theis
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL-University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Georg Juckel
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL-University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Nadja Freund
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL-University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44791 Bochum, Germany
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2
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Costello A, Linning-Duffy K, Vandenbrook C, Donohue K, O'Hara BF, Kim A, Lonstein JS, Yan L. Effects of light therapy on sleep/wakefulness, daily rhythms, and the central orexin system in a diurnal rodent model of seasonal affective disorder. J Affect Disord 2023; 332:299-308. [PMID: 37060954 PMCID: PMC10161688 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bright light therapy (BLT) is the first-line treatment for seasonal affective disorder. However, the neural mechanisms underlying BLT are unclear. To begin filling this gap, the present study examined the impact of BLT on sleep/wakefulness, daily rhythms, and the wakefulness-promoting orexin/hypocretin system in a diurnal rodent, Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus). METHODS Male and female grass rats were housed under a 12:12 h light/dark cycle with dim light (50 lx) during the day. The experimental group received daily 1-h early morning BLT (full-spectrum white light, 10,000 lx), while the control group received narrowband red light for 4 weeks. Sleep/wakefulness and in-cage locomotor activity were monitored, followed by examination of hypothalamic prepro-orexin and orexin receptors OX1R and OX2R expression in corticolimbic brain regions. RESULTS The BLT group had higher wakefulness during light treatment, better nighttime sleep quality, and improved daily rhythm entrainment compared to controls. The impact of BLT on the orexin system was sex- and brain region-specific, with males showing higher OX1R and OX2R in the CA1, while females showed higher prepro-orexin but lower OX1R and OX2R in the BLA, compared to same-sex controls. LIMITATIONS The present study focused on the orexin system in a limited number of brain regions at a single time point. Sex wasn't a statistical factor, as male and female cohorts were run independently. CONCLUSIONS The diurnal grass rats show similar behavioral responses to BLT as humans, thus could be a good model for further elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of BLT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Costello
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, United States of America.
| | | | | | - Kevin Donohue
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, United States of America
| | - Bruce F O'Hara
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Antony Kim
- Department of Architecture, UC Berkeley, United States of America
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, United States of America; Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, United States of America
| | - Lily Yan
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, United States of America; Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, United States of America
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Yardimci A, Ulker Ertugrul N, Ozgen A, Ozbeg G, Ridvan Ozdede M, Ercan EC, Canpolat S. Effects of chronic irisin treatment on brain monoamine levels in the hypothalamic and subcortical nuclei of adult male and female rats: An HPLC-ECD study. Neurosci Lett 2023; 806:137245. [PMID: 37061025 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Monoaminergic systems are known to be involved in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders and vegetative functions due to their established influence on hypothalamic and subcortical areas. These systems can be modulated by lifestyle factors, especially exercise, which is known to produce several beneficial effects on reproduction, brain health, and mental disorders. The fact that exercise is sensed by the brain shows that muscle-stimulated secretion of myokines allows direct crosstalk between the muscles and the brain. One of such exercise-induced beneficial effects on the brain is exhibited by irisin-a recently discovered PGC-1α-dependent adipo-myokine mainly secreted from skeletal muscle during exercise. Thus, we hypothesized that irisin may affect central monoamine levels and thus play an important role in the muscle-brain endocrine loop. To test this assertion, for 10 weeks, vehicle (deionized water) or 100 ng/kg irisin was injected intraperitoneally once a day to 12 male and 12 female rats after which the levels of monoamines and their metabolites were determined by HPLC-ECD. In the hypothalamic nuclei, irisin significantly decreased dopamine (DA) metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) (p<0.05), DOPAC/DA ratio (p<0.01) and noradrenaline (NA, p<0.05) levels in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV), and DOPAC and NA levels in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) (p<0.05), having a crucial role in reproduction and sexual motivation, respectively. On the other hand, irisin significantly increased DOPAC levels in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) (p<0.05), which acts as a hunger center, while it significantly decreased the levels of DA, NA, and its metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG) in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) as a known satiety center (p<0.05). In nucleus accumbens (NaC), irisin significantly reduced 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels (p<0.05), which are implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) physiopathology. It also significantly increased DA levels in this area, thus exhibiting positive effects on depression and sexual dysfunction in men. On the other hand, it significantly decreased serotonin (5-HT) (p<0.01) and its metabolite 5-HIAA levels in the medial amygdala (MeA) (p<0.05), indicating that it may play a role in social behaviors. Moreover, it significantly attenuated NA levels in the same hypothalamic area, which is directly involved in stress-induced activation of the central noradrenergic system. These findings demonstrate for the first time that irisin induces significant changes in monoamine levels in many hypothalamic nuclei involved in feeding behavior and vegetative functions, as well as in subcortical nuclei related to neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Yardimci
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey.
| | | | - Aslisah Ozgen
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Gulendam Ozbeg
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | | | - Eda Coban Ercan
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Sinan Canpolat
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
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Costello A, Linning-Duffy K, Vandenbrook C, Lonstein JS, Yan L. Daytime Light Deficiency Leads to Sex- and Brain Region-Specific Neuroinflammatory Responses in a Diurnal Rodent. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:1369-1384. [PMID: 35864429 PMCID: PMC10635710 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-022-01256-x] [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: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Seasonal changes in peripheral inflammation are well documented in both humans and animal models, but seasonal changes in neuroinflammation, especially the impact of seasonal lighting environment on neuroinflammation remain unclear. To address this question, the present study examined the effects of environmental lighting conditions on neuroinflammation in a diurnal rodent model, Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus). Male and female grass rats were housed in either bright (brLD) or dim (dimLD) light during the day to simulate a summer or winter light condition, respectively. After 4 weeks, microglia markers Iba-1 and CD11b, as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, were examined in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), basolateral amygdala (BLA), and dorsal hippocampus (dHipp). The results revealed that winter-like dim light during the day leads to indicators of increased neuroinflammation in a brain site- and sex-specific manner. Specifically, relatively few changes in the neuroinflammatory markers were observed in the ACC, while numerous changes were found in the BLA and dHipp. In the BLA, winter-like dimLD resulted in hyper-ramified microglia morphology and increased expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6, but only in males. In the dHipp, dimLD led to a higher number and hyper-ramified morphology of microglia as well as increased expression of CD11b and TNF-α, but only in females. Neuroinflammatory state is thus influenced by environmental light, differently in males and females, and could play a role in sex differences in the prevalence and symptoms of psychiatric or neurological disorders that are influenced by season or other environmental light conditions. Diurnal Nile grass rats were housed under bright or dim light during the day for 4 weeks, simulating seasonal fluctuations in daytime lighting environment. Dim light housing resulted in hyper-ramified morphology of microglia (scale bar, 15 μm) and altered expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α) in a sex- and brain region-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Costello
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 766, Service Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Katrina Linning-Duffy
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 766, Service Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Carleigh Vandenbrook
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 766, Service Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 766, Service Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Lily Yan
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 766, Service Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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Toh H, Bagheri A, Dewey C, Stewart R, Yan L, Clegg D, Thomson JA, Jiang P. A Nile rat transcriptomic landscape across 22 organs by ultra-deep sequencing and comparative RNA-seq pipeline (CRSP). Comput Biol Chem 2023; 102:107795. [PMID: 36436489 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2022.107795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has been a widely used high-throughput method to characterize transcriptomic dynamics spatiotemporally. However, RNA-seq data analysis pipelines typically depend on either a sequenced genome and/or corresponding reference transcripts. This limitation is a challenge for species lacking sequenced genomes and corresponding reference transcripts. The Nile rat (Arvicanthis niloticus) has two key features - it is daytime active, and it is prone to diet-induced diabetes, which makes it more similar to humans than regular laboratory rodents. However, at the time of this study, neither a Nile rat genome nor a reference transcript set were available, making it technically challenging to perform large-scale RNA-seq based transcriptomic studies. This genome-independent work progressed concurrently with our generation of a Nile rat genome. A well-annotated genome requires several iterations of manually reviewing curated transcripts and takes years to achieve. Here, we developed a Comparative RNA-Seq Pipeline (CRSP), integrating a comparative species strategy independent of a specific sequenced genome or species-matched reference transcripts. We performed benchmarking to validate that our CRSP tool can accurately quantify gene expression levels. In this study, we generated the first ultra-deep (2.3 billion × 2 paired-end) Nile rat RNA-seq data from 59 biopsy samples representing 22 major organs, providing a unique resource and spatial gene expression reference for Nile rat researchers. Importantly, CRSP is not limited to the Nile rat species and can be applied to any species without prior genomic knowledge. To facilitate a general use of CRSP, we also characterized the number of RNA-seq reads required for accurate estimation via simulation studies. CRSP and documents are available at: https://github.com/pjiang1105/CRSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huishi Toh
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Atefeh Bagheri
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA; Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
| | - Colin Dewey
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Computer Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Ron Stewart
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Lili Yan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Dennis Clegg
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - James A Thomson
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Peng Jiang
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA; Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA; Center for RNA Science and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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6
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Costello A, Linning-Duffy K, Vandenbrook C, Lonstein JS, Yan L. Effects of bright light therapy on neuroinflammatory and neuroplasticity markers in a diurnal rodent model of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Ann Med 2023; 55:2249015. [PMID: 37625385 PMCID: PMC10461522 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2023.2249015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bright light therapy (BLT) is widely used for treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). However, the neural mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of BLT remain largely unexplored. The present study used a diurnal rodent (Nile grass rats; Arvicanthis niloticus) to test the hypothesis that the therapeutic effects of BLT could be, in part, due to reduced neuroinflammation and/or enhanced neuroplasticity. Our previous research has demonstrated that compared to grass rats housed in a summer-like daytime bright light condition (1000 lux), those housed in a winter-like daytime dim light condition (50 lux) showed increased depression- and anxiety-like behaviours, as well as impaired sociosexual behaviours and spatial memory, similar to what is observed in patients suffering from SAD. MATERIALS AND METHODS In the present study, male and female grass rats were housed under the winter-like dim daytime light condition (lights on 600-1800 hr, 50 lux). The experimental groups received daily 1-h early morning BLT from 0600-0700 using full-spectrum light (10,000 lux), while the control groups received narrowband red light (λmax, 780 nm). Following 4 weeks of treatment, the expression of several neuroinflammatory or plasticity markers was examined in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), basolateral amygdala (BLA), and the CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus. RESULTS For the neuroinflammatory markers, BLT reduced TNF-α in the BLA of females, and upregulated CD11b in the mPFC and IL6 in the BLA in males. For the neuroplasticity markers, BLT downregulated BDNF in the CA1 and TrkB in all three brain regions in females but upregulated BDNF in the BLA and CA1 in males. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that the therapeutic effects of BLT on sleep, mood, and cognition may be attributed in part to mechanisms involving neuroinflammation and neuroplasticity in corticolimbic brain regions. Moreover, these effects appear to vary between sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Joseph S. Lonstein
- Department of Psychology, MI State University, MI, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, MI, USA
| | - Lily Yan
- Department of Psychology, MI State University, MI, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, MI, USA
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7
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Moeller JS, Bever SR, Finn SL, Phumsatitpong C, Browne MF, Kriegsfeld LJ. Circadian Regulation of Hormonal Timing and the Pathophysiology of Circadian Dysregulation. Compr Physiol 2022; 12:4185-4214. [PMID: 36073751 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c220018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are endogenously generated, daily patterns of behavior and physiology that are essential for optimal health and disease prevention. Disruptions to circadian timing are associated with a host of maladies, including metabolic disease and obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and mental health disturbances. The circadian timing system is hierarchically organized, with a master circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the anterior hypothalamus and subordinate clocks throughout the CNS and periphery. The SCN receives light information via a direct retinal pathway, synchronizing the master clock to environmental time. At the cellular level, circadian rhythms are ubiquitous, with rhythms generated by interlocking, autoregulatory transcription-translation feedback loops. At the level of the SCN, tight cellular coupling maintains rhythms even in the absence of environmental input. The SCN, in turn, communicates timing information via the autonomic nervous system and hormonal signaling. This signaling couples individual cellular oscillators at the tissue level in extra-SCN brain loci and the periphery and synchronizes subordinate clocks to external time. In the modern world, circadian disruption is widespread due to limited exposure to sunlight during the day, exposure to artificial light at night, and widespread use of light-emitting electronic devices, likely contributing to an increase in the prevalence, and the progression, of a host of disease states. The present overview focuses on the circadian control of endocrine secretions, the significance of rhythms within key endocrine axes for typical, homeostatic functioning, and implications for health and disease when dysregulated. © 2022 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 12: 1-30, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Moeller
- Graduate Group in Endocrinology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Savannah R Bever
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Samantha L Finn
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | - Madison F Browne
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Lance J Kriegsfeld
- Graduate Group in Endocrinology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.,The Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
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8
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Impact of Environmental and Dietary Issues on Male Sexual Health. CURRENT SEXUAL HEALTH REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11930-021-00317-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Yardimci A, Ulker N, Bulmus O, Sahin E, Alver A, Gungor IH, Turk G, Artas G, Kaya Tektemur N, Ozcan M, Kelestimur H, Canpolat S. Irisin Improves High-Fat Diet-Induced Sexual Dysfunction in Obese Male Rats. Neuroendocrinology 2022; 112:1087-1103. [PMID: 35189621 DOI: 10.1159/000523689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Obesity is known to cause sexual dysfunction including erectile dysfunction and poor semen quality. Lifestyle modifications such as exercise have increasingly been more recognized to lower the likelihood of having sexual dysfunction or infertility in obese men. In this context, as an exercise-mimetic hormone, irisin has a potential to improve obesity-related reproductive dysfunctions. We aimed to elucidate possible effects of irisin on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced reproductive dysfunction in obese male rats. METHODS Rats were divided into four groups: vehicle, irisin, obese, and obese + irisin. The rats in obese and obese+irisin groups were fed with HFD (60% kcal fat) pellets for 12 weeks to induce obesity, and then obesity-induced sexual dysfunction was confirmed by the sexual behavior test (SBT). Irisin and obese+irisin groups received irisin (100 ng/kg/day) infusion by an s.c. osmotic minipump for 4 weeks after HFD-induced obesity was formed. RESULTS Irisin did improve a number of measures of copulation, including penile erection, ejaculation, and sexual performance, and also improved sperm morphology and motility and decreased fat-induced testicular damage. It decreased serum leptin levels. On the other hand, irisin did not affect serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone. It also increased gene expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and adrenoceptor alpha 1A (ADRA1A) in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). CONCLUSION Irisin provided a marked enhancement of HFD-induced decrease in libido, potency, sexual performance, and erection in SBT. Taken together, our results emphasize that irisin has a restorative and improver role in HFD-induced reproductive dysfunctions in obese male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Yardimci
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Nazife Ulker
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Ozgur Bulmus
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Balikesir University, Balikesir, Turkey
| | - Elif Sahin
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Alver
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Ibrahim Halil Gungor
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Gaffari Turk
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Gokhan Artas
- Department of Medical Pathology, Firat University, Faculty of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Nalan Kaya Tektemur
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Mete Ozcan
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Haluk Kelestimur
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Sinan Canpolat
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
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Bilu C, Kronfeld-Schor N, Zimmet P, Einat H. Sex differences in the response to circadian disruption in diurnal sand rats. Chronobiol Int 2021; 39:169-185. [PMID: 34711113 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2021.1989448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Most animal model studies on physiological functions and pathologies are conducted in males. However, diseases such as depression, type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease, all show different prevalence and characteristics in females and males. Moreover, most mammal studies are conducted in nocturnal mice and rats, while modelling diurnal humans. We therefore used male and female fat sand rats (Psammomys obesus), which are diurnal in the wild, as an animal model for T2DM, to explore the effects of mild circadian disruption on behavior, glucose tolerance, cholesterol and heart weight. We found significant differences between the sexes: on average, in response to short photoperiods (SP) acclimation, males showed higher levels of depression-like behavior, lower glucose tolerance, and increased plasma cholesterol levels compared with females, with no effect on heart/body weight ratio. Females, however did show an increase in heart/body weight ratio in response to SP acclimation. We also found that regardless of sex, arrhythmic animals showed higher blood glucose levels, cholesterol levels, heart/body weight ratio, and depressive-like behavior compared with rhythmic animals. Hence, we suggest that the expression of the Circadian Syndrome could be different between males and females. Additional work with females is required to clearly delineate the specific effects in both sexes, and promote sex-based health care, prevention measures and therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmel Bilu
- School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Noga Kronfeld-Schor
- School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Paul Zimmet
- Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Haim Einat
- School of Behavioral Sciences, Tel Aviv-Yaffo Academic College, Tel-Aviv, Israel
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Lonstein JS, Linning-Duffy K, Tang Y, Moody A, Yan L. Impact of daytime light intensity on the central orexin (hypocretin) system of a diurnal rodent (Arvicanthis niloticus). Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:4167-4181. [PMID: 33899987 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide orexin/hypocretin is implicated in sleep and arousal, energy expenditure, reward, affective state and cognition. Our previous work using diurnal Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus) found that orexin mediates the effects of environmental light, particularly daytime light intensity, on affective and cognitive behaviours. The present study further investigated how daytime light intensity affects the central orexin system in male and female grass rats. Subjects were housed for 4 weeks in 12:12 hr dim light:dark (50 lux, dimLD) or in 12:12 hr bright light:dark cycle (1000 lux, brightLD). Day/night fluctuations in some orexin measures were also assessed. Despite similar hypothalamic prepro-orexin mRNA expression across all conditions, there were significantly more orexin-immunoreactive neurons, larger somata, greater optical density or higher orexin A content at night (ZT14) than during the day (ZT2), and/or in animals housed in brightLD compared to dimLD. Grass rats in brightLD also had higher cisternal CSF levels of orexin A. Furthermore, orexin receptor OX1R and OX2R proteins in the medial prefrontal cortex were higher in brightLD than dimLD males, but lower in brightLD than dimLD females. In the CA1 and dorsal raphe nucleus, females had higher OX1R than males without any significant effects of light condition, and OX2R levels were unaffected by sex or light. These results reveal that daytime light intensity alters the central orexin system of both male and female diurnal grass rats, sometimes sex-specifically, and provides insight into the mechanisms underlying how daytime light intensity impacts orexin-regulated functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S Lonstein
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Katrina Linning-Duffy
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Yuping Tang
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Anna Moody
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Lily Yan
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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12
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Beneficial effects of daytime high-intensity light exposure on daily rhythms, metabolic state and affect. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19782. [PMID: 33188227 PMCID: PMC7666121 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76636-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While the importance of the circadian system to health and well-being is extensively studied, the role of daylight exposure in these interactions is relatively poorly understood. Here we show, using a diurnal animal model naturally exposed to daylight, that daily morning exposure to 3000 lux, full spectrum electric light has beneficial health effects. Compared with controls, sand rats (Psammomys obesus) subjected to morning light treatment demonstrate daily rhythms with high peak to trough difference in activity, blood glucose levels and per2 gene expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, pre-frontal cortex, kidney and liver. The treated animals were also healthier, being normoglycemic, having higher glucose tolerance, lower body and heart weight and lower anxiety- and depression-like behavior. Our results suggest that exposure to high intensity light is important for the proper function of the circadian system and well-being, and are important in face of human's low exposure to daylight and extensive use of artificial light at night.
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13
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Grigsby KB, Kovarik CM, Mao X, Booth FW. Medial preoptic estrogen receptor-beta blunts the estrogen receptor-alpha mediated increases in wheel-running behavior of female rats. Behav Brain Res 2020; 379:112341. [PMID: 31711895 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Estrogens are believed to enhance rodent voluntary wheel-running through medial preoptic (mPOA) estrogen receptor α (ERα) signaling, with little role attributed to estrogen receptor β (ERβ). Systemic ERβ activation has been shown to mitigate ERα driven increases in wheel-running. Therefore, the present goal was to determine whether ERβ signaling in the mPOA plays a similar modulatory role over ERα. We utilized outbred wild-type (WT) and rats selectively bred for low voluntary running (LVR) behavior to address whether mPOA ERβ signaling blunts ERα driven wheel-running behavior and immediate-early gene (Fos, Zif268, and Homer1) mRNA induction. Further, we addressed baseline mPOA mRNA expressions and circulating 17β-estradiol levels between female WT and LVR rats. Following ovariectomy, WT rats reduced running behavior ∼40 %, with no effect in LVR rats. Intra-medial preoptic injection of the ERα-agonist propylpyrazoletriol (PPT) increased wheel-running ∼3.5-fold in WT rats, while injections of the ERβ-agonist diarylpropionitrile (DPN) or a combination of the two agonists had no effect. Similarly, ERα-agonism (PPT) increased Fos and Homer1 induction ∼3-fold in WT and LVR isolated mPOA neurons, with no effect of the ERβ-agonist DPN alone or in combination with PPT, suggesting medial-preoptic ERβ activity may blunt ERα signaling. LVR rats exhibited higher mPOA mRNA expressions of Esr1, Esr2 and Cyp19a1, lower normalized uterine wet weights and lower 17β-estradiol plasma levels compared to WT, suggesting their low running may be due to low circulating estrogen levels. Collectively, these findings highlight mPOA ERβ as a potential neuro-molecular modulator of the estrogenic control of wheel-running behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kolter B Grigsby
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States.
| | - Cathleen M Kovarik
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Xuansong Mao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Frank W Booth
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States; Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States; Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States; Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
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14
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Sinyakova NA, Bazhenova EY, Kulikova EA, Fursenko DV, Kulikov AV. Effect of the C1473G Polymorphic Variant of the Tryptophan Hydroxylase 2 Gene and Photoperiod Length on the Dopamine System of the Mouse Brain. Mol Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893320010148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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15
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Adebayo AA, Oboh G, Ademosun AO. Almond-supplemented diet improves sexual functions beyond Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibition in diabetic male rats. Heliyon 2019; 5:e03035. [PMID: 31890965 PMCID: PMC6928307 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e03035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperglycemia, an important feature of diabetes, can cause oxidative stress, which is associated with varieties of diabetic complications including erectile dysfunction. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the effect of almond-supplemented diet on some biochemical indices relevant to erection in diabetic male rats. Forty-two male rats were divided into two groups: A (n = 6) and B (n = 36). Diabetes was induced in Group B via injection of a single dose of STZ (50 mg/kg) intraperitoneally and confirmed 72 h after induction. Diabetic rats (blood glucose ≥250 mg/dL) were subsequently divided into six groups (n = 6). Fourteen days after confirmation of diabetes, rats were fed with diets containing almond drupe and seeds (10 and 20% inclusion) for fourteen days. The effects of the diets on blood glucose, sexual behavior, sexual hormones, phosphodiesterase-5 activity, nitric oxide, H2S, and AGEs levels were evaluated. Significant increase in blood glucose level, phosphodiesterase-5 activity, and glycated hemoglobin was observed in diabetic rats. Furthermore, diabetes caused a significant decrease in nitric oxide, H2S, sexual hormones (testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone) levels, and sexual behavioral indices. However, treatment with diets supplemented with almond drupe and seeds significantly reversed these effects in diabetic rats. Findings in this study revealed that almond-supplemented diets enhance some important biomarkers relevant to erection in diabetic rats. Thus, dietary inclusion of almond (drupe and seeds) could serve as a cheap and readily available nutraceutical in the management of erectile dysfunction associated with diabetes.
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16
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van der Merwe I, Bennett NC, Haim A, Oosthuizen MK. Effects of the colour of photophase light on locomotor activity in a nocturnal and a diurnal South African rodent. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20190597. [PMID: 31573427 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Many physiological and behavioural responses to varying qualities of light, particularly during the night (scotophase), have been well documented in rodents. We used varying wavelengths of day-time (photophase) lighting to assess daily responses in locomotor activity in the nocturnal Namaqua rock mouse (Micaelamys namaquensis) and diurnal four-striped field mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio). Animals were exposed to three light-dark cycle regimes: a short-wavelength- (SWLC, blue), a medium-wavelength- (MWLC, green) and a long-wavelength light-dark cycle (LWLC, red). Overall, daily locomotor activity of both species changed according to different wavelengths of light: the diurnal species displayed most activity under the SWLC and the nocturnal species exhibited the highest levels of activity under the LWLC. Both species showed an increase in diurnal activity and a decrease in nocturnal activity under the LWLC. These results indicate an attenuated responsiveness to long-wavelength light in the nocturnal species, but this does not appear to be true for the diurnal species. These results emphasize that the effect of light on the locomotor activity of animals depends on both the properties of the light and the temporal organization of activity of a species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid van der Merwe
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa.,Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Abraham Haim
- Israeli Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Chronobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel
| | - Maria K Oosthuizen
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa.,Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
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