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Albrechet‐Souza L, Kasten CR, Bertagna NB, Wills TA. Sex-specific negative affect-like behaviour and parabrachial nucleus activation induced by BNST stimulation in adult mice with adolescent alcohol history. Addict Biol 2024; 29:e13366. [PMID: 38380710 PMCID: PMC10883599 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13366] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Adolescent alcohol use is a strong predictor for the subsequent development of alcohol use disorders later in life. Additionally, adolescence is a critical period for the onset of affective disorders, which can contribute to problematic drinking behaviours and relapse, particularly in females. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that exposure to adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) vapour alters glutamatergic transmission in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and, when combined with adult stress, elicits sex-specific changes in glutamatergic plasticity and negative affect-like behaviours in mice. Building on these findings, the current work investigated whether BNST stimulation could substitute for stress exposure to increase the latency to consume a palatable food in a novel context (hyponeophagia) and promote social avoidance in adult mice with AIE history. Given the dense connections between the BNST and the parabrachial nucleus (PBN), a region involved in mediating threat assessment and feeding behaviours, we hypothesized that increased negative affect-like behaviours would be associated with PBN activation. Our results revealed that the chemogenetic stimulation of the dorsolateral BNST induced hyponeophagia in females with AIE history, but not in female controls or males of either group. Social interaction remained unaffected in both sexes. Notably, this behavioural phenotype was associated with higher activation of calcitonin gene-related peptide and dynorphin cells in the PBN. These findings provide new insights into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the development of negative affect in females and highlight the potential involvement of the BNST-PBN circuitry in regulating emotional responses to alcohol-related stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Albrechet‐Souza
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, School of MedicineLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Alcohol & Drug Center of Excellence, School of MedicineLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Chelsea R. Kasten
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, School of MedicineLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Natalia B. Bertagna
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, School of MedicineLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Department of PharmacologyFederal University of São PauloSão PauloSPBrazil
| | - Tiffany A. Wills
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, School of MedicineLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Alcohol & Drug Center of Excellence, School of MedicineLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Neuroscience Center of Excellence, School of MedicineLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
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Szakats S, McAtamney A, Cross H, Wilson MJ. Sex-biased gene and microRNA expression in the developing mouse brain is associated with neurodevelopmental functions and neurological phenotypes. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:57. [PMID: 37679839 PMCID: PMC10486049 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00538-3] [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: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences pose a challenge and an opportunity in biomedical research. Understanding how sex chromosomes and hormones affect disease-causing mechanisms will shed light on the mechanisms underlying predominantly idiopathic sex-biased neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, schizophrenia, and autism. Gene expression is a crucial conduit for the influence of sex on developmental processes; therefore, this study focused on sex differences in gene expression and the regulation of gene expression. The increasing interest in microRNAs (miRNAs), small, non-coding RNAs, for their contribution to normal and pathological neurodevelopment prompted us to test how miRNA expression differs between the sexes in the developing brain. METHODS High-throughput sequencing approaches were used to identify transcripts, including miRNAs, that showed significantly different expression between male and female brains on day 15.5 of development (E15.5). RESULTS Robust sex differences were identified for some genes and miRNAs, confirming the influence of biological sex on RNA. Many miRNAs that exhibit the greatest differences between males and females have established roles in neurodevelopment, implying that sex-biased expression may drive sex differences in developmental processes. In addition to highlighting sex differences for individual miRNAs, gene ontology analysis suggested several broad categories in which sex-biased RNAs might act to establish sex differences in the embryonic mouse brain. Finally, mining publicly available SNP data indicated that some sex-biased miRNAs reside near the genomic regions associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings reinforce the importance of cataloguing sex differences in molecular biology research and highlight genes, miRNAs, and pathways of interest that may be important for sexual differentiation in the mouse and possibly the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Szakats
- Developmental Genomics Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Alice McAtamney
- Developmental Genomics Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Hugh Cross
- Developmental Genomics Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Megan J Wilson
- Developmental Genomics Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
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Roy B, Dwivedi Y. An insight into the sprawling microverse of microRNAs in depression pathophysiology and treatment response. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105040. [PMID: 36639069 PMCID: PMC9974865 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Stress-related neuropathologies are pivotal in developing major depressive disorder (MDD) and are often governed by gene-regulatory changes. Being a stress-responsive gene-regulatory factor, microRNAs (miRNAs) have tremendous biomolecular potential to define an altered gene-regulatory landscape in the MDD brain. MiRNAs' regulatory roles in the MDD brain are closely aligned with changes in plasticity, neurogenesis, and stress-axis functions. MiRNAs act at the epigenetic interface between stress-induced environmental stimuli and cellular pathologies by triggering large-scale gene expression changes in a highly coordinated fashion. The parallel changes in peripheral circulation may provide an excellent opportunity for miRNA to devise more effective treatment strategies and help explore their potential as biomarkers in treatment response. This review discusses the role of miRNAs as epigenetic modifiers in the etiopathogenesis of MDD. Concurrently, key research is highlighted to show the progress in using miRNAs as predictive biomarkers for treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaskar Roy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Yogesh Dwivedi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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Gunasekaran S, Omkumar RV. miR-146a and miR-200b alter cognition by targeting NMDA receptor subunits. iScience 2022; 25:105515. [PMID: 36561887 PMCID: PMC9763852 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105515] [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: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs fine-tune gene regulation and can be targeted for therapeutic purposes. We investigated the physiological roles of miR-146a and miR-200b that are differentially expressed in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia, particularly in learning and memory mechanisms. Using bioinformatics tools and luciferase assay, we show interaction of these miRNAs with transcripts of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunits Grin2A and Grin2B. Overexpression of these miRNAs in primary hippocampal neurons caused downregulation of GluN2B and GluN2A proteins. Stereotactic injections of these miRNAs into rat hippocampus caused cognitive deficits in multiple behavioral tests with decreased protein levels of GluN1, GluN2A, GluN2B, AMPAR subunit GluR1, and Neuregulin 1. In pharmacologically treated rat models [MK-801 treated and methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) treated], we found upregulated levels of these miRNAs, implying their involvement in downregulating NMDAR subunits in these models. These results suggest the importance of miR-146a-5p and miR-200b-3p in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sowmya Gunasekaran
- Molecular Neurobiology Division, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India,Research Scholar, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576 104, India
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Vantrease JE, Avonts B, Padival M, DeJoseph MR, Urban JH, Rosenkranz JA. Sex Differences in the Activity of Basolateral Amygdalar Neurons That Project to the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis and Their Role in Anticipatory Anxiety. J Neurosci 2022; 42:4488-4504. [PMID: 35477901 PMCID: PMC9172066 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1499-21.2022] [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: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal fear and anxiety can manifest as psychiatric disorders. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is implicated in sustained responding to, or anticipation of, an aversive event which can be expressed as anticipatory anxiety. The BLA is also active during anticipatory anxiety and sends projections to the BNST. However, little is known about the role for BLA neurons that project to BNST (BLA-BNST) in anticipatory anxiety in rodents. To address this, we tested whether chemogenetic inactivation of the BLA-BNST pathway attenuates sustained conditioned responses produced by anticipation of an aversive stimulus. For comparison, we also assessed BLA-BNST inactivation during social interaction, which is sensitive to unlearned anxiety. We found that BLA-BNST inactivation reduced conditioned sustained freezing and increased social behaviors, but surprisingly, only in males. To determine whether sex differences in BLA-BNST neuronal activity contribute to the differences in behavior, we used in vivo and ex vivo electrophysiological approaches. In males, BLA-BNST projection neurons were more active and excitable, which coincided with a smaller after-hyperpolarization current (I AHP) compared with other BLA neurons; whereas in females, BLA-BNST neurons were less excitable and had larger I AHP compared with other BLA neurons. These findings demonstrate that activity of BLA-BNST neurons mediates conditioned anticipatory anxiety-like behavior in males. The lack of a role of BLA-BNST in females in this behavior, possibly because of low excitability of these neurons, also highlights the need for caution when generalizing the role of specific neurocircuits in fear and anxiety.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Anxiety disorders disproportionately affect women. This hints toward sex differences within anxiety neurocircuitry, yet most of our understanding is derived from male rodents. Furthermore, debilitating anticipation of adverse events is among the most severe anxiety symptoms, but little is known about anticipatory anxiety neurocircuitry. Here we demonstrated that BLA-BNST activity is required for anticipatory anxiety to a prolonged aversive cue, but only in males. Moreover, BLA-BNST neurons are hypoactive and less excitable in females. These results uncover BLA-BNST as a key component of anticipatory anxiety circuitry, and cellular differences may explain the sex-dependent role of this circuit. Uncovering this disparity provides evidence that the assumed basic circuitry of an anxiety behavior might not readily transpose from males to females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime E Vantrease
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
| | - Brittany Avonts
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
| | - Mallika Padival
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
| | - M Regina DeJoseph
- Discipline of Physiology and Biophysics, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
| | - Janice H Urban
- Discipline of Physiology and Biophysics, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
| | - J Amiel Rosenkranz
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
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Marino RAM, Girven KS, Figueiredo A, Navarrete J, Doty C, Sparta DR. Binge ethanol drinking associated with sex-dependent plasticity of neurons in the insula that project to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Neuropharmacology 2021; 196:108695. [PMID: 34233202 PMCID: PMC8928450 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Modifications in brain regions that govern reward-seeking are thought to contribute to persistent behaviors that are heavily associated with alcohol-use disorder (AUD) including binge ethanol drinking. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a critical node linked to both alcohol consumption and the onset, maintenance and progression of adaptive anxiety and stress-related disorders. Differences in anatomy, connectivity and receptor subpopulations, make the BNST a sexually dimorphic region. Previous work indicates that the ventral BNST (vBNST) receives input from the insular cortex (IC), a brain region involved in processing the body's internal state. This IC-vBNST projection has also been implicated in emotional and reward-seeking processes. Therefore, we examined the functional properties of vBNST-projecting, IC neurons in male and female mice that have undergone short-term ethanol exposure and abstinence using a voluntary Drinking in the Dark paradigm (DID) paired with whole-cell slice electrophysiology. First we show that IC neurons projected predominantly to the vBNST. Next, our data show that short-term ethanol exposure and abstinence enhanced excitatory synaptic strength onto vBNST-projecting, IC neurons in both sexes. However, we observed diametrically opposing modifications in excitability across sexes. In particular, short-term ethanol exposure resulted in increased intrinsic excitability of vBNST-projecting, IC neurons in females but not in males. Furthermore, in females, abstinence decreased the excitability of these same neurons. Taken together these findings show that short-term ethanol exposure, as well as the abstinence cause sex-related adaptations in BNST-projecting, IC neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa A M Marino
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Kasey S Girven
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Antonio Figueiredo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Jovana Navarrete
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Carolyn Doty
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Dennis R Sparta
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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Methods and Challenges in Investigating Sex-Specific Consequences of Social Stressors in Adolescence in Rats: Is It the Stress or the Social or the Stage of Development? Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2021; 54:23-58. [PMID: 34455576 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2021_245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a time of social learning and social restructuring that is accompanied by changes in both the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The activation of these axes by puberty and stressors, respectively, shapes adolescent development. Models of social stress in rats are used to understand the consequences of perturbations of the social environment for ongoing brain development. This paper reviews the challenges in investigating the sex-specific consequences of social stressors, sex differences in the models of social stress used in rats and the sex-specific effects on behaviour and provides an overview of sex differences in HPA responding to stressors, the variability in pubertal development and in strains of rats that require consideration in conducting such research, and directions for future research.
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8
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Corrales WA, Silva JP, Parra CS, Olave FA, Aguayo FI, Román-Albasini L, Aliaga E, Venegas-Zamora L, Avalos AM, Rojas PS, Maracaja-Coutinho V, Oakley RH, Cidlowski JA, Fiedler JL. Sex-Dependent Changes of miRNA Levels in the Hippocampus of Adrenalectomized Rats Following Acute Corticosterone Administration. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:2981-3001. [PMID: 34339164 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We explored sex-biased effects of the primary stress glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone on the miRNA expression profile in the rat hippocampus. Adult adrenalectomized (ADX) female and male rats received a single corticosterone (10 mg/kg) or vehicle injection, and after 6 h, hippocampi were collected for miRNA, mRNA, and Western blot analyses. miRNA profiling microarrays showed a basal sex-biased miRNA profile in ADX rat hippocampi. Additionally, acute corticosterone administration triggered a sex-biased differential expression of miRNAs derived from genes located in several chromosomes and clusters on the X and 6 chromosomes. Putative promoter analysis unveiled that most corticosterone-responsive miRNA genes contained motifs for either direct or indirect glucocorticoid actions in both sexes. The evaluation of transcription factors indicated that almost 50% of miRNA genes sensitive to corticosterone in both sexes was under glucocorticoid receptor regulation. Transcription factor-miRNA regulatory network analyses identified several transcription factors that regulate, activate, or repress miRNA expression. Validated target mRNA analysis of corticosterone-responsive miRNAs showed a more complex miRNA-mRNA interaction network in males compared to females. Enrichment analysis revealed that several hippocampal-relevant pathways were affected in both sexes, such as neurogenesis and neurotrophin signaling. The evaluation of selected miRNA targets from these pathways displayed a strong sex difference in the hippocampus of ADX-vehicle rats. Corticosterone treatment did not change the levels of the miRNA targets and their corresponding tested proteins. Our data indicate that corticosterone exerts a sex-biased effect on hippocampal miRNA expression, which may engage in sculpting the basal sex differences observed at higher levels of hippocampal functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wladimir A. Corrales
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Juan P. Silva
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Claudio S. Parra
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Felipe A. Olave
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Felipe I. Aguayo
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Luciano Román-Albasini
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Esteban Aliaga
- Department of Kinesiology and The Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences Research Center (CINPSI-Neurocog), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 3460000, Chile
| | - Leslye Venegas-Zamora
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Ana M. Avalos
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 8910060, Chile
| | - Paulina S. Rojas
- Escuela de Química y Farmacia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370149, Chile
| | - Vinicius Maracaja-Coutinho
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Robert H. Oakley
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - John A. Cidlowski
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Jenny L. Fiedler
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile
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Pérez-Rodríguez D, López-Fernández H, Agís-Balboa RC. Application of miRNA-seq in neuropsychiatry: A methodological perspective. Comput Biol Med 2021; 135:104603. [PMID: 34216893 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
MiRNAs are emerging as key molecules to study neuropsychiatric diseases. However, despite the large number of methodologies and software for miRNA-seq analyses, there is little supporting literature for researchers in this area. This review focuses on evaluating how miRNA-seq has been used to study neuropsychiatric diseases to date, analyzing both the main findings discovered and the bioinformatics workflows and tools used from a methodological perspective. The objective of this review is two-fold: first, to evaluate current miRNA-seq procedures used in neuropsychiatry; and second, to offer comprehensive information that can serve as a guide to new researchers in bioinformatics. After conducting a systematic search (from 2016 to June 30, 2020) of articles using miRNA-seq in neuropsychiatry, we have seen that it has already been used for different types of studies in three main categories: diagnosis, prognosis, and mechanism. We carefully analyzed the bioinformatics workflows of each study, observing a high degree of variability with respect to the tools and methods used and several methodological complexities that are identified and discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Pérez-Rodríguez
- Translational Neuroscience Group-CIBERSAM, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), Área Sanitaria de Vigo-Hospital Álvaro Cunqueiro, SERGAS-UVIGO, 36213, Vigo, Spain; NeuroEpigenetics Lab. University Hospital Complex of Vigo, SERGAS-UVIGO, 36213, Vigo, Spain
| | - Hugo López-Fernández
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação Em Saúde (I3S), Universidade Do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal; CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Department of Computer Science, ESEI - Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, 32004, Ourense, Spain; SING Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, Spain.
| | - Roberto C Agís-Balboa
- Translational Neuroscience Group-CIBERSAM, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), Área Sanitaria de Vigo-Hospital Álvaro Cunqueiro, SERGAS-UVIGO, 36213, Vigo, Spain; NeuroEpigenetics Lab. University Hospital Complex of Vigo, SERGAS-UVIGO, 36213, Vigo, Spain.
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10
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Luo PX, Manning CE, Fass JN, Williams AV, Hao R, Campi KL, Trainor BC. Sex-specific effects of social defeat stress on miRNA expression in the anterior BNST. Behav Brain Res 2021; 401:113084. [PMID: 33358922 PMCID: PMC7864284 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Women are more likely to suffer from stress-related affective disorders than men, but the underlying mechanisms of sex differences remain unclear. Previous works show that microRNA (miRNA) profiles are altered in stressed animals and patients with depression and anxiety disorders. In this study, we investigated how miRNA expression in the anterior bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) was affected by social defeat stress in female and male California mice (Peromyscus californicus). We performed sequencing to identify miRNA transcripts in the whole brain and anterior BNST followed by qPCR analysis to compare miRNA expression between control and stressed animals. The results showed that social defeat stress induced sex-specific miRNA expression changes in the anterior BNST. Let-7a, let-7f and miR-181a-5p were upregulated in stressed female but not male mice. Our study provided evidence that social stress produces distinct molecular responses in the BNST of males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei X Luo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Claire E Manning
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Joe N Fass
- Bioinformatics Core and Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Alexia V Williams
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Rebecca Hao
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Katharine L Campi
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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11
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Tejos-Bravo M, Oakley RH, Whirledge SD, Corrales WA, Silva JP, García-Rojo G, Toledo J, Sanchez W, Román-Albasini L, Aliaga E, Aguayo F, Olave F, Maracaja-Coutinho V, Cidlowski JA, Fiedler JL. Deletion of hippocampal Glucocorticoid receptors unveils sex-biased microRNA expression and neuronal morphology alterations in mice. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 14:100306. [PMID: 33665240 PMCID: PMC7906897 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in the brain have prompted many researchers to investigate the underlying molecular actors, such as the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). This nuclear receptor controls gene expression, including microRNAs (miRNAs), in non-neuronal cells. Here, we investigated sex-biased effects of GR on hippocampal miRNA expression and neuronal morphology by generating a neuron-specific GR knockout mouse (Emx1-Nr3c1−/−). The levels of 578 mature miRNAs were assessed using NanoString technology and, in contrast to males, female Emx1-Nr3c1−/− mice showed a substantially higher number of differentially expressed miRNAs, confirming a sex-biased effect of GR ablation. Based on bioinformatic analyses we identified several transcription factors potentially involved in miRNA regulation. Functional enrichment analyses of the miRNA-mRNA interactions revealed pathways related to neuronal arborization and both spine morphology and density in both sexes. Two recognized regulators of dendritic morphology, CAMKII-α and GSK-3β, increased their protein levels by GR ablation in female mice hippocampus, without changes in males. Additionally, sex-specific effects of GR deletion were observed on CA1 neuronal arborization and dendritic spine features. For instance, a reduced density of mushroom spines in apical dendrites was evidenced only in females, while a decreased length in basal dendrites was noted only in males. However, length and arborization of apical dendrites were reduced by GR ablation irrespective of the sex. Overall, our study provides new insights into the sex-biased GR actions, especially in terms of miRNAs expression and neuronal morphology in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macarena Tejos-Bravo
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, 8380492, Santiago, Chile
| | - Robert H Oakley
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Shannon D Whirledge
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Wladimir A Corrales
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, 8380492, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan P Silva
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, 8380492, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gonzalo García-Rojo
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, 8380492, Santiago, Chile.,Carrera de Odontología. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Serena, La Serena, Chile
| | - Jorge Toledo
- Laboratory of Scientific Image Analysis (SCIAN-Lab), Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 1027, Santiago, 8380453, Chile
| | - Wendy Sanchez
- Laboratory of Scientific Image Analysis (SCIAN-Lab), Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 1027, Santiago, 8380453, Chile
| | - Luciano Román-Albasini
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, 8380492, Santiago, Chile
| | - Esteban Aliaga
- Department of Kinesiology and the Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences Research Center (CINPSI-Neurocog), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Felipe Aguayo
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, 8380492, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Olave
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, 8380492, Santiago, Chile
| | - Vinicius Maracaja-Coutinho
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases -ACCDiS. Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Universidad de Chile, Independencia, 8380492, Santiago, Chile
| | - John A Cidlowski
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Jenny L Fiedler
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, 8380492, Santiago, Chile
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Elliott JM, Rueckeis CA, Pan Y, Parrish TB, Walton DM, Linnstaedt SD. microRNA let-7i-5p mediates the relationship between muscle fat infiltration and neck pain disability following motor vehicle collision: a preliminary study. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3140. [PMID: 33542428 PMCID: PMC7862492 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82734-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent neck-pain disability (PNPD) is common following traumatic stress exposures such as motor vehicle collision (MVC). Substantial literature indicates that fat infiltration into neck muscle (MFI) is associated with post-MVC PNPD. However, little is known about the molecular mediators underlying this association. In the current study, we assessed whether microRNA expression signatures predict PNPD and whether microRNA mediate the relationship between neck MFI and PNPD. A nested cohort of 43 individuals from a longitudinal study of MVC survivors, who provided blood (PAXgene RNA) and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), were included in the current study. Peritraumatic microRNA expression levels were quantified via small RNA sequencing, neck MFI via MRI, and PNPD via the Neck Disability Index two-weeks, three-months, and twelve-months following MVC. Repeated measures regression models were used to assess the relationship between microRNA and PNPD and to perform mediation analyses. Seventeen microRNA predicted PNPD following MVC. One microRNA, let-7i-5p, mediated the relationship between neck MFI and PNPD. Peritraumatic blood-based microRNA expression levels predict PNPD following MVC and let-7i-5p might contribute to the underlying effects of neck MFI on persistent disability. In conclusion, additional studies are needed to validate this finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Elliott
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The Northern Sydney Local Health District, The Kolling Institute, The University of Sydney, St. Leonards, NSW, Australia
- Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Cathleen A Rueckeis
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Campus Box #7010, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7010, USA
| | - Yue Pan
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Campus Box #7010, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7010, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Todd B Parrish
- Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - David M Walton
- School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Sarah D Linnstaedt
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina, Campus Box #7010, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7010, USA.
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Arzate-Mejía RG, Lottenbach Z, Schindler V, Jawaid A, Mansuy IM. Long-Term Impact of Social Isolation and Molecular Underpinnings. Front Genet 2020; 11:589621. [PMID: 33193727 PMCID: PMC7649797 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.589621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prolonged periods of social isolation can have detrimental effects on the physiology and behavior of exposed individuals in humans and animal models. This involves complex molecular mechanisms across tissues in the body which remain partly identified. This review discusses the biology of social isolation and describes the acute and lasting effects of prolonged periods of social isolation with a focus on the molecular events leading to behavioral alterations. We highlight the role of epigenetic mechanisms and non-coding RNA in the control of gene expression as a response to social isolation, and the consequences for behavior. Considering the use of strict quarantine during epidemics, like currently with COVID-19, we provide a cautionary tale on the indiscriminate implementation of such form of social isolation and its potential damaging and lasting effects in mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo G Arzate-Mejía
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich and Department of Health Science and Technology of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Neuroscience Center Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Ali Jawaid
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich and Department of Health Science and Technology of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Neuroscience Center Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle M Mansuy
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich and Department of Health Science and Technology of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Neuroscience Center Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Microarray Profiling Reveals Distinct Circulating miRNAs in Aged Male and Female Mice Subjected to Post-stroke Social Isolation. Neuromolecular Med 2020; 23:305-314. [PMID: 33074466 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-020-08622-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Social isolation (SI) increases ischemic injury and significantly delays recovery after experimental stroke. Changes in circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in several neurological disorders, including stroke. However, potential biomarkers to elucidate the mechanisms that underlie the detrimental effects of post-stroke isolation are unknown. Aged C57BL/6 male and female mice (18-20 months) were subjected to a 60-min middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by reperfusion and were assigned to either isolation (SI) or continued pair housing (PH) immediately after stroke. On day 15, mice were sacrificed, and plasma samples were collected for miRNAome analysis. Top candidate miRNAs and their biological functions were identified using integrated bioinformatics. The miRNAome analysis revealed a total of 21 differentially expressed miRNAs across both sexes with fold change of 3 or higher. Within the female cohort, miR-206-3p, -376a-3p, -34b-5p, -133a-5p, -466f, and -671-3p were highly altered relative to the PH housing condition. Similarly in males, miR-376c-3p, -181d-5p, -712-5p, -186-5p, -21a-3p, -30d-3p, -495-3p, -669c-5p, -335-5p, -429-3p, -31-3p, and -217-5p were identified. Following Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis, the identified miRNAs effected distinct subset of pathways within sexes. Interactional network analysis revealed miR-495-3p (male) and miR-34b-5p (female) as pivotal nodes that targeted the largest subset of genes. We identified several sex-specific miRNAs as candidate biomarkers for post-stroke SI in aged male and female mice. Additionally, these results suggest that there is potential to use plasma-based circulating miRNAs as a source of novel biomarkers to identify biological pathways involved in post-stroke SI.
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15
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Emmons R, Sadok T, Rovero NG, Belnap MA, Henderson HJM, Quan AJ, Del Toro NJ, Halladay LR. Chemogenetic manipulation of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis counteracts social behavioral deficits induced by early life stress in C57BL/6J mice. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:90-109. [PMID: 32476178 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Trauma during critical periods of development can induce long-lasting adverse effects. To study neural aberrations resulting from early life stress (ELS), many studies utilize rodent maternal separation, whereby pups are intermittently deprived of maternal care necessary for proper development. This can produce adulthood behavioral deficits related to anxiety, reward, and social behavior. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) encodes aspects of anxiety-like and social behaviors, and also undergoes developmental maturation during the early postnatal period, rendering it vulnerable to effects of ELS. Mice underwent maternal separation (separation 4 hr/day during postnatal day (PD)2-5 and 8 hr/day on PD6-16) with early weaning on PD17, which induced behavioral deficits in adulthood performance on two-part social interaction task designed to test social motivation (choice between a same-sex novel conspecific or an empty cup) and social novelty preference (choice between the original-novel conspecific vs. a new-novel conspecific). We used chemogenetics to non-selectively silence or activate neurons in the BNST to examine its role in social motivation and social novelty preference, in mice with or without the history of ELS. Manipulation of BNST produced differing social behavior effects in non-stressed versus ELS mice; social motivation was decreased in non-stressed mice following BNST activation, but unchanged following BNST silencing, while ELS mice showed no change in social behavior after BNST activation, but exhibited enhancement of social motivation-for which they were deficient prior-following BNST silencing. Findings emphasize the BNST as a potential therapeutic target for social anxiety disorders instigated by childhood trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randi Emmons
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - Tasneem Sadok
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - Natalie G Rovero
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - Malia A Belnap
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | | | - Alex J Quan
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - Noël J Del Toro
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
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