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Chéry SL, O'Buckley TK, Boero G, Balan I, Morrow AL. Neurosteroid [3α,5α]3-hydroxypregnan-20-one inhibition of chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in alcohol-preferring rat brain neurons, microglia, and astroglia. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024. [PMID: 38991981 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroimmune dysfunction in alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with activation of myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88)-dependent Toll-like receptors (TLR) resulting in overexpression of the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2). MCP-1 overexpression in the brain is linked to anxiety, higher alcohol intake, neuronal death, and activation of microglia observed in AUD. The neurosteroid [3α,5α][3-hydroxypregnan-20-one (3α,5α-THP) has been reported as an inhibitor of MyD88-dependent TLR activation and MCP-1 overexpression in mouse and human macrophages and the brain of alcohol-preferring (P) rats. METHODS We investigated how 3α,5α-THP regulates MCP-1 expression at the cellular level in P rat nucleus accumbens (NAc) and central amygdala (CeA). We focused on neurons, microglia, and astrocytes, examining the individual voxel density of MCP-1, neuronal marker NeuN, microglial marker IBA1, astrocytic marker GFAP, and their shared voxel density, defined as intersection. Ethanol-naïve male and female P rats were perfused 1 h after IP injections of 15 mg/kg of 3α,5α-THP, or vehicle. The NAc and CeA were imaged using confocal microscopy following double-immunofluorescence staining for MCP-1 with NeuN, IBA1, and GFAP, respectively. RESULTS MCP-1 intersected with NeuN predominantly and IBA1/GFAP negligibly. 3α,5α-THP reduced MCP-1 expression in NeuN-labeled cells by 38.27 ± 28.09% in male and 56.11 ± 21.46% in female NAc, also 37.99 ± 19.53% in male and 54.96 ± 30.58% in female CeA. In females, 3α,5α-THP reduced the MCP-1 within IBA1 and GFAP-labeled voxels in the NAc and CeA. Conversely, in males, 3α,5α-THP did not significantly alter the MCP-1 within IBA1 in NAc or with GFAP in the CeA. Furthermore, 3α,5α-THP decreased levels of IBA1 in both regions and sexes with no impact on GFAP or NeuN levels. Secondary analysis performed on data normalized to % control values indicated that no significant sex differences were present. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that 3α,5α-THP inhibits neuronal MCP-1 expression and decreases the proliferation of microglia in P rats. These results increase our understanding of potential mechanisms for 3α,5α-THP modulation of ethanol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Lucenell Chéry
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Neuroscience Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Todd K O'Buckley
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Giorgia Boero
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Irina Balan
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - A Leslie Morrow
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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Sowa JE, Tokarski K, Hess G. Activation of the CXCR4 Receptor by Chemokine CXCL12 Increases the Excitability of Neurons in the Rat Central Amygdala. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2024; 19:9. [PMID: 38430337 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-024-10112-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Primarily regarded as immune proteins, chemokines are emerging as a family of molecules serving neuromodulatory functions in the developing and adult brain. Among them, CXCL12 is constitutively and widely expressed in the CNS, where it was shown to act on cellular, synaptic, network, and behavioral levels. Its receptor, CXCR4, is abundant in the amygdala, a brain structure involved in pathophysiology of anxiety disorders. Dysregulation of CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling has been implicated in anxiety-related behaviors. Here we demonstrate that exogenous CXCL12 at 2 nM but not at 5 nM increased neuronal excitability in the lateral division of the rat central amygdala (CeL) which was evident in the Late-Firing but not Regular-Spiking neurons. These effects were blocked by AMD3100, a CXCR4 antagonist. Moreover, CXCL12 increased the excitability of the neurons of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) that is known to project to the CeL. However, CXCL12 increased neither the spontaneous excitatory nor spontaneous inhibitory synaptic transmission in the CeL. In summary, the data reveal specific activation of Late-Firing CeL cells along with BLA neurons by CXCL12 and suggest that this chemokine may alter information processing by the amygdala that likely contributes to anxiety and fear conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Ewa Sowa
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, Krakow, 31-343, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Tokarski
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, Krakow, 31-343, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Hess
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, Krakow, 31-343, Poland
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Diaz LA, Winder GS, Leggio L, Bajaj JS, Bataller R, Arab JP. New insights into the molecular basis of alcohol abstinence and relapse in alcohol-associated liver disease. Hepatology 2023:01515467-990000000-00605. [PMID: 37862466 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder remains a significant public health concern, affecting around 5% of adults worldwide. Novel pathways of damage have been described during the last years, providing insight into the mechanism of injury due to alcohol misuse beyond the direct effect of ethanol byproducts on the liver parenchyma and neurobehavioral mechanisms. Thus, the gut-liver-brain axis and immune system involvement could be therapeutic targets for alcohol use disorder. In particular, changes in gut microbiota composition and function, and bile acid homeostasis, have been shown with alcohol consumption and cessation. Alcohol can also directly disrupt intestinal and blood-brain barriers. Activation of the immune system can be triggered by intestinal barrier dysfunction and translocation of bacteria, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (such as lipopolysaccharide), cytokines, and damage-associated molecular patterns. These factors, in turn, promote liver and brain inflammation and the progression of liver fibrosis. Other involved mechanisms include oxidative stress, apoptosis, autophagy, and the release of extracellular vesicles and miRNA from hepatocytes. Potential therapeutic targets include gut microbiota (probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation), neuroinflammatory pathways, as well as neuroendocrine pathways, for example, the ghrelin system (ghrelin receptor blockade), incretin mimetics (glucagon-like peptide-1 analogs), and the mineralocorticoid receptor system (spironolactone). In addition, support with psychological and behavioral treatments is essential to address the multiple dimensions of alcohol use disorder. In the future, a personalized approach considering these novel targets can contribute to significantly decreasing the alcohol-associated burden of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Antonio Diaz
- Departamento de Gastroenterología, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institutes of Health, NIDA and NIAAA, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jasmohan S Bajaj
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Virginia Commonwealth University and Central Virginia Veterans Health Care System, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Ramon Bataller
- Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, Institut d'Investigacions August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Pablo Arab
- Departamento de Gastroenterología, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Schulich School of Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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Zhu X, Meng J, Han C, Wu Q, Du Y, Qi J, Wei L, Li H, He W, Zhang K, Lu Y. CCL2-mediated inflammatory pathogenesis underlies high myopia-related anxiety. Cell Discov 2023; 9:94. [PMID: 37699875 PMCID: PMC10497683 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00588-2] [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: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
High myopia is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. It may lead to emotional defects that rely closely on the link between visual sensation and the central nervous system. However, the extent of the defects and its underlying mechanism remain unknown. Here, we report that highly myopic patients exhibit greater anxiety, accompanied by higher CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and monocyte levels in the blood. Similar findings are found in the mouse model of high myopia. Mechanistic evaluations using GFP-positive bone marrow chimeric mice, parabiotic mouse model, enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, etc., show that highly myopic visual stimulation increases CCL2 expression in eyes, aggravates monocyte/macrophage infiltration into eyes and brains, and disrupts blood-ocular barrier and blood-brain barrier of mice. Conversely, Ccl2-deficient highly myopic mice exhibit attenuated ocular and brain infiltration of monocytes/macrophages, reduced disruption of the blood-ocular barrier and blood-brain barrier, and less anxiety. Substantial alleviation of high myopia-related anxiety can also be achieved with the administration of CCL2-neutralizing antibodies. Our results establish the association between high myopia and anxiety, and implicate the CCL2-mediated inflammatory pathogenesis as an underlying mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangjia Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jiaqi Meng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaofeng Han
- Department of Histoembryology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qingfeng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Development Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Du
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiao Qi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Wei
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenwen He
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Keke Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China.
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Coleman LG, Crews FT, Vetreno RP. The persistent impact of adolescent binge alcohol on adult brain structural, cellular, and behavioral pathology: A role for the neuroimmune system and epigenetics. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 160:1-44. [PMID: 34696871 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a critical neurodevelopmental window for maturation of brain structure, neurocircuitry, and glia. This development is sculpted by an individual's unique experiences and genetic background to establish adult level cognitive function and behavioral makeup. Alcohol abuse during adolescence is associated with an increased lifetime risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Adolescents participate in heavy, episodic binge drinking that causes persistent changes in neurocircuitry and behavior. These changes may underlie the increased risk for AUD and might also promote cognitive deficits later in life. In this chapter, we have examined research on the persistent effects of adolescent binge-drinking both in humans and in rodent models. These studies implicate roles for neuroimmune signaling as well as epigenetic reprogramming of neurons and glia, which create a vulnerable neuroenvironment. Some of these changes are reversible, giving hope for future treatments to prevent many of the long-term consequences of adolescent alcohol abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon G Coleman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
| | - Fulton T Crews
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Ryan P Vetreno
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Meredith LR, Burnette EM, Grodin EN, Irwin MR, Ray LA. Immune treatments for alcohol use disorder: A translational framework. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 97:349-364. [PMID: 34343618 PMCID: PMC9044974 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
While the immune system is essential for survival, an excessive or prolonged inflammatory response, such as that resulting from sustained heavy alcohol use, can damage the host and contribute to psychiatric disorders. A growing body of literature indicates that the immune system plays a critical role in the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorder (AUD). As such, there is enthusiasm for treatments that can restore healthy levels of inflammation as a mechanism to reduce drinking and promote recovery. In this qualitative literature review, we provide a conceptual rationale for immune therapies and discuss progress in medications development for AUD focused on the immune system as a treatment target. This review is organized into sections based on primary signaling pathways targeted by the candidate therapies, namely: (a) toll-like receptors, (b) phosphodiesterase inhibitors, (c) peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, (d) microglia and astrocytes, (e) other immune pharmacotherapies, and (f) behavioral therapies. As relevant within each section, we examine the basic biological mechanisms of each class of therapy and evaluate preclinical research testing the role of the therapy on mitigating alcohol-related behaviors in animal models. To the extent available, translational findings are reviewed with discussion of completed and ongoing randomized clinical trials and their findings to date. An applied and clinically focused approach is taken to identify the potential clinical applications of the various treatments reviewed. We conclude by delineating the most promising candidate treatments and discussing future directions by considering opportunities for immune treatment development and personalized medicine for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay R Meredith
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Burnette
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Erica N Grodin
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael R Irwin
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lara A Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Macht V, Vetreno R, Elchert N, Crews F. Galantamine prevents and reverses neuroimmune induction and loss of adult hippocampal neurogenesis following adolescent alcohol exposure. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:212. [PMID: 34530858 PMCID: PMC8447570 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02243-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Binge ethanol exposure during adolescence reduces hippocampal neurogenesis, a reduction which persists throughout adulthood despite abstinence. This loss of neurogenesis, indicated by reduced doublecortin+ immunoreactivity (DCX+IR), is paralleled by an increase in hippocampal proinflammatory signaling cascades. As galantamine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, has anti-inflammatory actions, we tested the hypothesis that galantamine would prevent (study 1) or restore (study 2) AIE induction of proinflammatory signals within the hippocampus as well as AIE-induced loss of hippocampal neurogenesis. METHODS Galantamine (4 mg/kg) or vehicle (saline) was administered to Wistar rats during adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE; 5.0 g/kg ethanol, 2 days on/2 days off, postnatal day [P] 25-54) (study 1, prevention) or after AIE during abstinent maturation to adulthood (study 2, restoration). RESULTS Results indicate AIE reduced DCX+IR and induced cleaved caspase3 (Casp3) in DCX-expressing immature neurons. Excitingly, AIE induction of activated Casp3 in DCX-expressing neurons is both prevented and reversed by galantamine treatment, which also resulted in prevention and restoration of neurogenesis (DCX+IR). Similarly, galantamine prevented and/or reversed AIE induction of proinflammatory markers, including the chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein, suggesting that AIE induction of proinflammatory signaling mediates both cell death cascades and hippocampal neurogenesis. Interestingly, galantamine treatment increased Ki67+IR generally as well as increased pan-Trk expression specifically in AIE-treated rats but failed to reverse AIE induction of NADPH-oxidase (gp91phox). CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our studies suggest that (1) loss of neurogenesis after AIE is mediated by persistent induction of proinflammatory cascades which drive activation of cell death machinery in immature neurons, and (2) galantamine can prevent and restore AIE disruptions in the hippocampal environmental milieu to then prevent and restore AIE-mediated loss of neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Macht
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Ryan Vetreno
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Natalie Elchert
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Fulton Crews
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Balan I, Aurelian L, Schleicher R, Boero G, O'Buckley T, Morrow AL. Neurosteroid allopregnanolone (3α,5α-THP) inhibits inflammatory signals induced by activated MyD88-dependent toll-like receptors. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:145. [PMID: 33637705 PMCID: PMC7909379 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01266-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We have shown that endogenous neurosteroids, including pregnenolone and 3α,5α-THP inhibit toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signal activation in mouse macrophages and the brain of alcohol-preferring (P) rat, which exhibits innate TLR4 signal activation. The current studies were designed to examine whether other activated TLR signals are similarly inhibited by 3α,5α-THP. We report that 3α,5α-THP inhibits selective agonist-mediated activation of TLR2 and TLR7, but not TLR3 signaling in the RAW246.7 macrophage cell line. The TLR4 and TLR7 signals are innately activated in the amygdala and NAc from P rat brains and inhibited by 3α,5α-THP. The TLR2 and TLR3 signals are not activated in P rat brain and they are not affected by 3α,5α-THP. Co-immunoprecipitation studies indicate that 3α,5α-THP inhibits the binding of MyD88 with TLR4 or TLR7 in P rat brain, but the levels of TLR4 co-precipitating with TRIF are not altered by 3α,5α-THP treatment. Collectively, the data indicate that 3α,5α-THP inhibits MyD88- but not TRIF-dependent TLR signal activation and the production of pro-inflammatory mediators through its ability to block TLR-MyD88 binding. These results have applicability to many conditions involving pro-inflammatory TLR activation of cytokines, chemokines, and interferons and support the use of 3α,5α-THP as a therapeutic for inflammatory disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Balan
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Laure Aurelian
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Riana Schleicher
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Giorgia Boero
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Todd O'Buckley
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - A Leslie Morrow
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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