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Horie I, Muroi Y, Ishii T. Noradrenergic Regulation of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Mediates Stress Coping in Postpartum Female Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04240-2. [PMID: 38829510 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04240-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence of depression in women increases during the postpartum period. We previously reported that subchronic exposure to social stress decreased passive coping in postpartum female mice. This study aimed to investigate whether noradrenaline regulation might regulate coping styles in mice. We first determined whether a different type of stress, subchronic physical stress, decreases passive coping in postpartum females. Postpartum female, virgin female, and male mice were exposed to subchronic restraint stress (restraint stress for 4 h for 5 consecutive days). Subchronic restraint stress decreased passive coping in postpartum females but not in virgin females and males in the forced swim and tail suspension tests. We next examined the neuronal mechanism by which subchronic stress decreases passive coping in postpartum female mice. Neuronal activity and expression of noradrenergic receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The mPFC was manipulated using chemogenetics, knockdown, or an α2A adrenergic receptor (AR) antagonist. Immunohistochemistry revealed that subchronic restraint stress increased glutamatergic neuron activation in the mPFC via forced swim stress and decreased α2A AR expression in postpartum females. Chemogenetic activation of glutamatergic neurons in the mPFC, knockdown of α2AAR in the mPFC, and the α2A AR receptor antagonist atipamezole treatment decreased passive coping in postpartum females. Subchronic restraint stress decreased passive coping in postpartum females by increasing glutamatergic neuron activity in the mPFC through α2A AR attenuation. The noradrenergic regulation of the mPFC may be a new target for treating postpartum depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikuko Horie
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, National University Cooperation Hokkaido Higher Education and Research, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Yoshikage Muroi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, National University Cooperation Hokkaido Higher Education and Research, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan.
| | - Toshiaki Ishii
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, National University Cooperation Hokkaido Higher Education and Research, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
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2
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Sharma R, Chischolm A, Parikh M, Thakkar M. Cholinergic interneurons in the shell region of the nucleus accumbens regulate binge alcohol consumption: A chemogenetic and genetic lesion study. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 48:827-842. [PMID: 38549545 PMCID: PMC11073918 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Binge drinking, characterized by heavy episodic alcohol consumption, poses significant health hazards and increases the likelihood of developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Given the growing prevalence of this behavior and its negative consequences, there is a need to explore novel therapeutic targets. Accumulating evidence suggests that cholinergic interneurons (CIN) within the shell region of the nucleus accumbens (NAcSh) play a critical role in reward and addiction. However, their specific involvement in binge alcohol administration remains unclear. We hypothesized that CIN in the NAcSh regulates binge alcohol consumption. METHODS To test this hypothesis, we used male ChAT-cre mice expressing Cre-recombinase in cholinergic neurons. We performed chemogenetic manipulation using Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD) to examine the activity, and genetic ablation of CIN in the NAcSh to examine the amount of alcohol consumed in mice exposed to binge alcohol consumption using the 4-Days Drinking-in-Dark (DID) paradigm. The impact of CIN manipulations in the NAcSh on sucrose self-administration was used to control for taste and caloric effects. Additionally, in a separate group of mice, c-Fos immunofluorescence was employed to verify chemogenetic activation or inhibition. Histological and immunohistochemical techniques were used to verify microinfusion sites, DREADD expression in CINs, and genetic ablation. RESULTS We found that, while chemogenetic activation of CIN in the NAcSh caused a significant increase in alcohol consumption, chemogenetic inhibition or genetic ablation of CIN significantly reduced the amount of alcohol consumed without affecting sucrose self-administration. The chemogenetic inhibition caused a significant reduction, whereas activation caused a significant increase, in the number of c-Fos-labeled CIN in the NAcSh. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the crucial involvement of CIN in the NAcSh in modulating binge alcohol consumption, suggesting that targeting these neurons could serve to modify alcohol-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishi Sharma
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital and Department of Neurology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Abigail Chischolm
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital and Department of Neurology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Meet Parikh
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital and Department of Neurology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Mahesh Thakkar
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital and Department of Neurology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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3
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Almacellas-Barbanoj A, Albini M, Satapathy A, Jaudon F, Michetti C, Krawczun-Rygmaczewska A, Huang H, Manago F, Papaleo F, Benfenati F, Cesca F. Kidins220/ARMS modulates brain morphology and anxiety-like traits in adult mice. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:58. [PMID: 35140204 PMCID: PMC8828717 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-00854-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Kinase D interacting substrate of 220 kDa (Kidins220), also known as ankyrin repeat-rich membrane spanning (ARMS), is a transmembrane scaffold protein that participates in fundamental aspects of neuronal physiology including cell survival, differentiation, and synaptic plasticity. The Kidins220 constitutive knockout line displays developmental defects in the nervous and cardiovascular systems that lead to embryonic lethality, which has so far precluded the study of this protein in the adult. Moreover, Kidins220 mRNA is tightly regulated by alternative splicing, whose impact on nervous system physiology has not yet been addressed in vivo. Here, we have asked to what extent the absence of Kidins220 splicing and the selective knockout of Kidins220 impact on adult brain homeostasis. To answer this question, we used a floxed line that expresses only the full-length, non-spliced Kidins220 mRNA, and a forebrain-specific, CaMKII-Cre driven Kidins220 conditional knockout (cKO) line. Kidins220 cKO brains are characterized by enlarged ventricles in the absence of cell death, and by deficient dendritic arborization in several cortical regions. The deletion of Kidins220 leads to behavioral changes, such as reduced anxiety-like traits linked to alterations in TrkB-BDNF signaling and sex-dependent alterations of hippocampal-dependent spatial memory. Kidins220 floxed mice present similarly enlarged brain ventricles and increased associative memory. Thus, both the absolute levels of Kidins220 expression and its splicing pattern are required for the correct brain development and related expression of behavioral phenotypes. These findings are relevant in light of the increasing evidence linking mutations in the human KIDINS220 gene to the onset of severe neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Almacellas-Barbanoj
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132, Genova, Italy.,Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Martina Albini
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132, Genova, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Annyesha Satapathy
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Fanny Jaudon
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132, Genova, Italy.,Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Caterina Michetti
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132, Genova, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Alicja Krawczun-Rygmaczewska
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132, Genova, Italy.,Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Huiping Huang
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Francesca Manago
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163, Genova, Italy
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132, Genova, Italy.,IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - Fabrizia Cesca
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132, Genova, Italy. .,Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
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4
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Sharma R, Casillas-Espinosa PM, Dill LK, Rewell SSJ, Hudson MR, O'Brien TJ, Shultz SR, Semple BD. Pediatric traumatic brain injury and a subsequent transient immune challenge independently influenced chronic outcomes in male mice. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 100:29-47. [PMID: 34808288 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major contributor to death and disability worldwide. Children are at particularly high risk of both sustaining a TBI and experiencing serious long-term consequences, such as cognitive deficits, mental health problems and post-traumatic epilepsy. Severe TBI patients are highly susceptible to nosocomial infections, which are mostly acquired within the first week of hospitalization post-TBI. Yet the potential chronic impact of such acute infections following pediatric TBI remains unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that a peripheral immune challenge, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mimicking a hospital-acquired infection-would worsen inflammatory, neurobehavioral, and seizure outcomes after experimental pediatric TBI. To test this, three-week old male C57Bl/6J mice received a moderate controlled cortical impact or sham surgery, followed by 1 mg/kg i.p. LPS (or 0.9% saline vehicle) at 4 days TBI. Mice were randomized to four groups; sham-saline, sham-LPS, TBI-saline or TBI-LPS (n = 15/group). Reduced general activity and increased anxiety-like behavior were observed within 24 h in LPS-treated mice, indicating a transient sickness response. LPS-treated mice also exhibited a reduction in body weights, which persisted chronically. From 2 months post-injury, mice underwent a battery of tests for sensorimotor, cognitive, and psychosocial behaviors. TBI resulted in hyperactivity and spatial memory deficits, independent of LPS; whereas LPS resulted in subtle deficits in spatial memory retention. At 5 months post-injury, video-electroencephalographic recordings were obtained to evaluate both spontaneous seizure activity as well as the evoked seizure response to pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). TBI increased susceptibility to PTZ-evoked seizures; whereas LPS appeared to increase the incidence of spontaneous seizures. Post-mortem analyses found that TBI, but not LPS, resulted in robust glial reactivity and loss of cortical volume. A TBI × LPS interaction in hippocampal volume suggested that TBI-LPS mice had a subtle increase in ipsilateral hippocampus tissue loss; however, this was not reflected in neuronal cell counts. Both TBI and LPS independently had modest effects on chronic hippocampal gene expression. Together, contrary to our hypothesis, we observed minimal synergy between TBI and LPS. Instead, pediatric TBI and a subsequent transient immune challenge independently influenced chronic outcomes. These findings have implications for future preclinical modeling as well as acute post-injury patient management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishabh Sharma
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Pablo M Casillas-Espinosa
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Prahran, VIC, Australia; Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Larissa K Dill
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Prahran, VIC, Australia
| | - Sarah S J Rewell
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Prahran, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew R Hudson
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Terence J O'Brien
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Prahran, VIC, Australia; Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Sandy R Shultz
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Prahran, VIC, Australia; Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Bridgette D Semple
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Prahran, VIC, Australia; Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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Chronic hM4Di-DREADD-Mediated Chemogenetic Inhibition of Forebrain Excitatory Neurons in Postnatal or Juvenile Life Does Not Alter Adult Mood-Related Behavior. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0381-21.2021. [PMID: 35115382 PMCID: PMC8856708 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0381-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) coupled to Gi signaling, in particular downstream of monoaminergic neurotransmission, are posited to play a key role during developmental epochs (postnatal and juvenile) in shaping the emergence of adult anxiodepressive behaviors and sensorimotor gating. To address the role of Gi signaling in these developmental windows, we used a CaMKIIα-tTA::TRE hM4Di bigenic mouse line to express the hM4Di-DREADD (designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs) in forebrain excitatory neurons and enhanced Gi signaling via chronic administration of the DREADD agonist, clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) in the postnatal window (postnatal days 2–14) or the juvenile window (postnatal days 28–40). We confirmed that the expression of the HA-tagged hM4Di-DREADD was restricted to CaMKIIα-positive neurons in the forebrain, and that the administration of CNO in postnatal or juvenile windows evoked inhibition in forebrain circuits of the hippocampus and cortex, as indicated by a decline in expression of the neuronal activity marker c-Fos. hM4Di-DREADD-mediated inhibition of CaMKIIα-positive forebrain excitatory neurons in postnatal or juvenile life did not impact the weight profile of mouse pups, and also did not influence the normal ontogeny of sensory reflexes. Further, postnatal or juvenile hM4Di-DREADD-mediated inhibition of CaMKIIα-positive forebrain excitatory neurons did not alter anxiety- or despair-like behaviors in adulthood and did not impact sensorimotor gating. Collectively, these results indicate that chemogenetic induction of Gi signaling in CaMKIIα-positive forebrain excitatory neurons in postnatal and juvenile temporal windows does not appear to impinge on the programming of anxiodepressive behaviors in adulthood.
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6
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Hou Y, Chen M, Wang C, Liu L, Mao H, Qu X, Shen X, Yu B, Liu S. Electroacupuncture Attenuates Anxiety-Like Behaviors in a Rat Model of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: The Role of the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:690159. [PMID: 34248490 PMCID: PMC8264195 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.690159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Electroacupuncture (EA) is a promising clinical approach to treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet the mechanisms whereby EA can alleviate anxiety and other PTSD symptoms have yet to be clarified. In the present report, rats underwent EA for 14 consecutive days following modified single prolonged stress (MSPS) exposure. These animals were then evaluated in open field and elevated plus maze tests (OFT and EPM), while Fos immunohistochemical staining was performed to assess ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) functional activation. In addition, an extracellular recording and stimulation system was used to analyze vmPFC inputs into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in these rats. Temporary vmPFC inactivation was further performed to assess whether this was sufficient to reverse the anxiolytic effects of EA. Overall, rats that underwent EA treatment spent more time in the central region (OFT) and the open arm (EPM) relative to MSPS model animals (P < 0.05). These MSPS model animals also exhibited significantly fewer activated Fos-positive nuclei in the vmPFC following behavioral testing, while EA was associated with a significant relative increase in c-Fos expression in this region. The transient inactivation of the vmPFC was sufficient to reverse the effects of EA treatment on anxiety-like behaviors in MSPS model rats. MSPS and SEA rats exhibiting no differences in bursting activity between baseline and vmPFC stimulation, whereas bursting activity rose relative to baseline upon ventral mPFC stimulation in EA treated and control rats. Together, these findings indicate that the vmPFC and its inputs into the VTA are functionally linked to the anxiolytic activity of EA, implicating this pathway in the EA-mediated treatment of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchao Hou
- Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Meiyu Chen
- Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Can Wang
- Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lumin Liu
- Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Huijuan Mao
- Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyi Qu
- Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xueyong Shen
- Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Yu
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng Liu
- Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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7
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The Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Kinases II and IV as Therapeutic Targets in Neurodegenerative and Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094307. [PMID: 33919163 PMCID: PMC8122486 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
CaMKII and CaMKIV are calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases playing a rudimentary role in many regulatory processes in the organism. These kinases attract increasing interest due to their involvement primarily in memory and plasticity and various cellular functions. Although CaMKII and CaMKIV are mostly recognized as the important cogs in a memory machine, little is known about their effect on mood and role in neuropsychiatric diseases etiology. Here, we aimed to review the structure and functions of CaMKII and CaMKIV, as well as how these kinases modulate the animals’ behavior to promote antidepressant-like, anxiolytic-like, and procognitive effects. The review will help in the understanding of the roles of the above kinases in the selected neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, and this knowledge can be used in future drug design.
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8
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Sun D, Milibari L, Pan JX, Ren X, Yao LL, Zhao Y, Shen C, Chen WB, Tang FL, Lee D, Zhang JS, Mei L, Xiong WC. Critical Roles of Embryonic Born Dorsal Dentate Granule Neurons for Activity-Dependent Increases in BDNF, Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis, and Antianxiety-like Behaviors. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:600-614. [PMID: 33183762 PMCID: PMC7889658 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dentate gyrus (DG), a "gate" that controls information flow into the hippocampus, plays important roles in regulating both cognitive (e.g., spatial learning and memory) and mood behaviors. Deficits in DG neurons contribute to the pathogenesis of not only neurological, but also psychiatric, disorders, such as anxiety disorder. Whereas DG's function in spatial learning and memory has been extensively investigated, its role in regulating anxiety remains elusive. METHODS Using c-Fos to mark DG neuron activation, we identified a group of embryonic born dorsal DG (dDG) neurons, which were activated by anxiogenic stimuli and specifically express osteocalcin (Ocn)-Cre. We further investigated their functions in regulating anxiety and the underlying mechanisms by using a combination of chemogenetic, electrophysiological, and RNA-sequencing methods. RESULTS The Ocn-Cre+ dDG neurons were highly active in response to anxiogenic environment but had lower excitability and fewer presynaptic inputs than those of Ocn-Cre- or adult born dDG neurons. Activating Ocn-Cre+ dDG neurons suppressed anxiety-like behaviors and increased adult DG neurogenesis, whereas ablating or chronically inhibiting Ocn-Cre+ dDG neurons exacerbated anxiety-like behaviors, impaired adult DG neurogenesis, and abolished activity (e.g., voluntary wheel running)-induced anxiolytic effect and adult DG neurogenesis. RNA-sequencing screening for factors induced by activation of Ocn-Cre+ dDG neurons identified BDNF, which was required for Ocn-Cre+ dDG neurons mediated antianxiety-like behaviors and adult DG neurogenesis. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate critical functions of Ocn-Cre+ dDG neurons in suppressing anxiety-like behaviors but promoting adult DG neurogenesis, and both functions are likely through activation of BDNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Sun
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Leena Milibari
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Jin-Xiu Pan
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Xiao Ren
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Ling-Ling Yao
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Yang Zhao
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Chen Shen
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Wen-Bing Chen
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Fu-Lei Tang
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Daehoon Lee
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Jun-Shi Zhang
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Lin Mei
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio; Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio; Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Wen-Cheng Xiong
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio; Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio; Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.
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9
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Schalbetter SM, Mueller FS, Scarborough J, Richetto J, Weber-Stadlbauer U, Meyer U, Notter T. Oral application of clozapine-N-oxide using the micropipette-guided drug administration (MDA) method in mouse DREADD systems. Lab Anim (NY) 2021; 50:69-75. [PMID: 33619409 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-021-00723-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) system is one of the most widely used chemogenetic techniques to modulate the activity of cell populations in the brains of behaving animals. DREADDs are activated by acute or chronic administration of their ligand, clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). There is, however, a current lack of a non-invasive CNO administration technique that can control for drug timing and dosing without inducing substantial distress for the animals. Here, we evaluated whether the recently developed micropipette-guided drug administration (MDA) method, which has been used as a non-invasive and minimally stressful alternative to oral gavages, may be applied to administer CNO orally to activate DREADDs in a dosing- and timing-controlled manner. Unlike standard intraperitoneal injections, administration of vehicle substances via MDA did not elevate plasma levels of the major stress hormone, corticosterone, and did not attenuate exploratory activity in the open field test. At the same time, however, administration of CNO via MDA or intraperitoneally was equally efficient in activating hM3DGq-expressing neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex, as evident by time-dependent increases in mRNA levels of neuronal immediate early genes (cFos, Arc and Zif268) and cFos-immunoreactive neurons. Compared to vehicle given via MDA, oral administration of CNO via MDA was also found to potently increase locomotor activity in mice that express hM3DGq in prefrontal neurons. Taken together, our study confirms the effectiveness of CNO given orally via MDA and provides a novel method for non-stressful, yet well controllable CNO treatments in mouse DREADD systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina M Schalbetter
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Flavia S Mueller
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joseph Scarborough
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Juliet Richetto
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tina Notter
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK.
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10
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Green TA, Baracz SJ, Everett NA, Robinson KJ, Cornish JL. Differential effects of GABA A receptor activation in the prelimbic and orbitofrontal cortices on anxiety. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:3237-3247. [PMID: 32666257 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05606-9] [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: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The development of effective anxiety treatments has been hindered by limited understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms involved in anxiety regulation. Whilst gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is one mechanism consistently implicated in anxiety regulation, PFC subregions may contribute uniquely. OBJECTIVES The present study examined the effects of inactivating the PFC subregions of the prelimbic cortex (PrL) or orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) through GABAA receptor (GABAAR) activation, on anxiety behaviours in male Wistar rats. METHODS Sixty-six male Wistar rats were surgically implanted with bilateral cannulae into the PrL (n = 33) or the OFC (n = 33). Rats then received a microinjection of either the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol or vehicle prior to each experiment, conducted 1 week apart. Measures of anxiety were examined using the elevated plus maze (EPM) and the emergence test (ET). The effect on locomotor activity (baseline or methamphetamine-induced) was also tested. RESULTS Differential effects of brain region inactivation on anxiety-like behaviour were shown by measures in the EPM and ET; muscimol infused into the PrL-reduced anxiety-like behaviour, yet had no significant effect when infused into the OFC, compared with control treated rats. No effects on locomotor activity at baseline or following methamphetamine treatment were found. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights that activation of GABAARs specifically within the PrL, but not OFC, reduces anxiety behaviours in male rats. This suggests that activity of the PrL plays a more important role than the OFC in the neurobiological mechanisms of unconditioned anxiety and should be targeted for future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trudy A Green
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Sarah J Baracz
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.,Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Nick A Everett
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Katherine J Robinson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Jennifer L Cornish
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia. .,Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
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Lengel D, Huh JW, Barson JR, Raghupathi R. Progesterone treatment following traumatic brain injury in the 11-day-old rat attenuates cognitive deficits and neuronal hyperexcitability in adolescence. Exp Neurol 2020; 330:113329. [PMID: 32335121 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children younger than 4 years old results in cognitive and psychosocial deficits in adolescence and adulthood. At 4 weeks following closed head injury on postnatal day 11, male and female rats exhibited impairment in novel object recognition memory (NOR) along with an increase in open arm time in the elevated plus maze (EPM), suggestive of risk-taking behaviors. This was accompanied by an increase in intrinsic excitability and frequency of spontaneous excitatory post-synaptic currents (EPSCs), and a decrease in the frequency of spontaneous inhibitory post-synaptic currents in layer 2/3 neurons within the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), a region that is implicated in both object recognition and risk-taking behaviors. Treatment with progesterone for the first week after brain injury improved NOR memory at the 4-week time point in both sham and brain-injured rats and additionally attenuated the injury-induced increase in the excitability of neurons and the frequency of spontaneous EPSCs. The effect of progesterone on cellular excitability changes after injury may be related to its ability to decrease the mRNA expression of the β3 subunit of the voltage-gated sodium channel and increase the expression of the neuronal excitatory amino acid transporter 3 in the medial PFC in sham- and brain-injured animals and also increase glutamic acid decarboxylase mRNA expression in sham- but not brain-injured animals. Progesterone treatment did not affect injury-induced changes in the EPM test. These results demonstrate that administration of progesterone immediately after TBI in 11-day-old rats reduces cognitive deficits in adolescence, which may be mediated by progesterone-mediated regulation of excitatory signaling mechanisms within the medial PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Lengel
- Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA United States of America
| | - Jimmy W Huh
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Jessica R Barson
- Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA United States of America; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Ramesh Raghupathi
- Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA United States of America; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
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