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Sheng JA, Tobet SA. Maternal immune activation with toll-like receptor 7 agonist during mid-gestation alters juvenile and adult developmental milestones and behavior. J Neuroendocrinol 2024:e13417. [PMID: 38822791 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Infections during pregnancy are associated with increased risk for adult neuropsychiatric disease, such as major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder. In mouse models of maternal immune activation (MIA), different toll-like receptors (TLRs) are stimulated to initiate inflammatory responses in mother and fetus. The goal of this study was to determine sex-dependent aspects of MIA using a TLR7/8 agonist, Resiquimod (RQ), on neurodevelopment. RQ was administered to timed-pregnant mice on embryonic day (E) 12.5. At E15, maternal/fetal plasma cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Maternal cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 were higher while tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-17 were lower in pregnant dams exposed to RQ. Fetal cytokines (E15) were altered at the same timepoint with fetal plasma IL-6 and IL-17 greater after RQ compared to vehicle, while IL-10 and TNF-α were higher in male fetuses but not female. Other timed-pregnant dams were allowed to give birth. MIA with RQ did not alter the female to male ratio of offspring born per litter. Body weights were reduced significantly in both sexes at birth, and over the next 5 weeks. Offspring from RQ-injected mothers opened their eyes 5 days later than controls. Similarly, female offspring from RQ-injected mothers exhibited pubertal delay based on vaginal opening 2-3 days later than control females. On the behavioral side, juvenile and adult male and female MIA offspring exhibited less social-like behavior in a social interaction test. Anhedonia-like behavior was greater in MIA adult female mice. This study provides support for sex-dependent influences of fetal antecedents for altered brain development and behavioral outputs that could be indicative of increased susceptibility for adult disorders through immune mechanisms. Future studies are needed to determine neural cellular and molecular mechanisms for such programming effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julietta A Sheng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Stuart A Tobet
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
- Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine, Mass General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Ahmed S, Polis B, Jamwal S, Sanganahalli BG, Kaswan ZM, Islam R, Kim D, Bowers C, Giuliano L, Biederer T, Hyder F, Kaffman A. Transient Impairment in Microglial Function Causes Sex-Specific Deficits in Synaptic and Hippocampal Function in Mice Exposed to Early Adversity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.14.580284. [PMID: 38405887 PMCID: PMC10888912 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.14.580284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Abnormal development and function of the hippocampus are two of the most consistent findings in humans and rodents exposed to early life adversity, with males often being more affected than females. Using the limited bedding (LB) paradigm as a rodent model of early life adversity, we found that male adolescent mice that had been exposed to LB exhibit significant deficits in contextual fear conditioning and synaptic connectivity in the hippocampus, which are not observed in females. This is linked to altered developmental refinement of connectivity, with LB severely impairing microglial-mediated synaptic pruning in the hippocampus of male and female pups on postnatal day 17 (P17), but not in adolescent P33 mice when levels of synaptic engulfment by microglia are substantially lower. Since the hippocampus undergoes intense synaptic pruning during the second and third weeks of life, we investigated whether microglia are required for the synaptic and behavioral aberrations observed in adolescent LB mice. Indeed, transient ablation of microglia from P13-21, in normally developing mice caused sex-specific behavioral and synaptic abnormalities similar to those observed in adolescent LB mice. Furthermore, chemogenetic activation of microglia during the same period reversed the microglial-mediated phagocytic deficits at P17 and restored normal contextual fear conditioning and synaptic connectivity in adolescent LB male mice. Our data support an additional contribution of astrocytes in the sex-specific effects of LB, with increased expression of the membrane receptor MEGF10 and enhanced synaptic engulfment in hippocampal astrocytes of 17-day-old LB females, but not in LB male littermates. This finding suggests a potential compensatory mechanism that may explain the relative resilience of LB females. Collectively, these studies highlight a novel role for glial cells in mediating sex-specific hippocampal deficits in a mouse model of early-life adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahabuddin Ahmed
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Baruh Polis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Sumit Jamwal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Basavaraju G. Sanganahalli
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Zoe MacDowell Kaswan
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Rafiad Islam
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Dana Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Christian Bowers
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Lauryn Giuliano
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Thomas Biederer
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, 100 College Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Fahmeed Hyder
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Arie Kaffman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
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Ramkumar R, Edge-Partington M, Terstege DJ, Adigun K, Ren Y, Khan NS, Rouhi N, Jamani NF, Tsutsui M, Epp JR, Sargin D. Long-Term Impact of Early Life Stress on Serotonin Connectivity. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)00073-8. [PMID: 38316332 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic childhood stress is a prominent risk factor for developing affective disorders, yet mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Maintenance of optimal serotonin (5-HT) levels during early postnatal development is critical for the maturation of brain circuits. Understanding the long-lasting effects of early life stress (ELS) on serotonin-modulated brain connectivity is crucial to develop treatments for affective disorders arising from childhood stress. METHODS Using a mouse model of chronic developmental stress, we determined the long-lasting consequences of ELS on 5-HT circuits and behavior in females and males. Using FosTRAP mice, we cross-correlated regional c-Fos density to determine brain-wide functional connectivity of the raphe nucleus. We next performed in vivo fiber photometry to establish ELS-induced deficits in 5-HT dynamics and optogenetics to stimulate 5-HT release to improve behavior. RESULTS Adult female and male mice exposed to ELS showed heightened anxiety-like behavior. ELS further enhanced susceptibility to acute stress by disrupting the brain-wide functional connectivity of the raphe nucleus and the activity of 5-HT neuron population, in conjunction with increased orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) activity and disrupted 5-HT release in medial OFC. Optogenetic stimulation of 5-HT terminals in the medial OFC elicited an anxiolytic effect in ELS mice in a sex-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest a significant disruption in 5-HT-modulated brain connectivity in response to ELS, with implications for sex-dependent vulnerability. The anxiolytic effect of the raphe-medial OFC circuit stimulation has potential implications for developing targeted stimulation-based treatments for affective disorders that arise from early life adversities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raksha Ramkumar
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Moriah Edge-Partington
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dylan J Terstege
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kabirat Adigun
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yi Ren
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nazmus S Khan
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nahid Rouhi
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Naila F Jamani
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mio Tsutsui
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jonathan R Epp
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Derya Sargin
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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Lamar M, Kershaw KN, Leurgans SE, Mukherjee RR, Lange-Maia BS, Marquez DX, Barnes LL. Neighborhood-level social vulnerability and individual-level cognitive and motor functioning over time in older non-Latino Black and Latino adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1125906. [PMID: 37250695 PMCID: PMC10213534 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1125906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Despite known health disparities in cognitive aging, a comprehensive rationale for the increased burden in older minoritized populations including non-Latino Black and Latino adults has yet to be elucidated. While most work has focused on person-specific risk, studies are increasingly assessing neighborhood-level risk. We evaluated multiple aspects of the environmental milieu that may be critical when considering vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. Methods We investigated associations between a Census-tract derived Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and level of and change in cognitive and motor functioning in 780 older adults (590 non-Latino Black adults, ∼73 years old at baseline; 190 Latinos, ∼70 years old baseline). Total SVI scores (higher = greater neighborhood-level vulnerability) were combined with annual evaluations of cognitive and motor functioning (follow-up ranged from 2 to 18 years). Demographically-adjusted mixed linear regression models tested for associations between SVI and cognitive and motor outcomes in analyses stratified by ethno-racial group. Results For non-Latino Black participants, higher SVI scores were associated with lower levels of global cognitive and motor functioning-specifically, episodic memory, motor dexterity and gait-as well as longitudinal change in visuospatial abilities and hand strength. For Latinos, higher SVI scores were associated with lower levels of global motor functioning only-specifically, motor dexterity; there were no significant associations between SVI and change in motor functioning. Discussion Neighborhood-level social vulnerability is associated with cognitive and motor functioning in non-Latino Black and Latino older adults, although associations appear to contribute to level more so than longitudinal change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Lamar
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Kiarri N. Kershaw
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Sue E. Leurgans
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - R. Reshmi Mukherjee
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA, United States
| | - Brittney S. Lange-Maia
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - David X. Marquez
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Lisa L. Barnes
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
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Warhaftig G, Almeida D, Turecki G. Early life adversity across different cell- types in the brain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 148:105113. [PMID: 36863603 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105113] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA)- which includes physical, psychological, emotional, and sexual abuse is one of the most common predictors to diverse psychopathologies later in adulthood. As ELA has a lasting impact on the brain at a developmental stage, recent findings from the field highlighted the specific contributions of different cell types to ELA and their association with long lasting consequences. In this review we will gather recent findings describing morphological, transcriptional and epigenetic alterations within neurons, glia and perineuronal nets and their associated cellular subpopulation. The findings reviewed and summarized here highlight important mechanisms underlying ELA and point to therapeutic approaches for ELA and related psychopathologies later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Warhaftig
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Daniel Almeida
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal QC H4H 1R3, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal QC H3A 1A1, Canada.
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Sex differences in addiction-relevant behavioral outcomes in rodents following early life stress. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 6. [PMID: 37101684 PMCID: PMC10124992 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In humans, exposure to early life stress (ELS) is an established risk factor for the development of substance use disorders (SUDs) during later life. Similarly, rodents exposed to ELS involving disrupted mother-infant interactions, such as maternal separation (MS) or adverse caregiving due to scarcity-adversity induced by limited bedding and nesting (LBN) conditions, also exhibit long-term alterations in alcohol and drug consumption. In both humans and rodents, there is a range of addiction-related behaviors that are associated with drug use and even predictive of subsequent SUDs. In rodents, these include increased anxiety-like behavior, impulsivity, and novelty-seeking, altered alcohol and drug intake patterns, as well as disrupted reward-related processes involving consummatory and social behaviors. Importantly, the expression of these behaviors often varies throughout the lifespan. Moreover, preclinical studies suggest that sex differences play a role in how exposure to ELS impacts reward and addiction-related phenotypes as well as underlying brain reward circuitry. Here, addiction-relevant behavioral outcomes and mesolimbic dopamine (DA) dysfunction resulting from ELS in the form of MS and LBN are discussed with a focus on age- and sex-dependent effects. Overall, these findings suggest that ELS may increase susceptibility for later life drug use and SUDs by interfering with the normal maturation of reward-related brain and behavioral function.
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