Expression of Oligodendrocyte and Oligoprogenitor Cell Proteins in Frontal Cortical White and Gray Matter: Impact of Adolescent Development and Ethanol Exposure

Adolescent binge ethanol impacts H3K9me3-occupancy at synaptic genes and the regulation of oligodendrocyte development

Introduction

Binge drinking in adolescence can disrupt myelination and cause brain structural changes that persist into adulthood. Alcohol consumption at a younger age increases the susceptibility of these changes. Animal models to understand ethanol's actions on myelin and white matter show that adolescent binge ethanol can alter the developmental trajectory of oligodendrocytes, myelin structure, and myelin fiber density. Oligodendrocyte differentiation is epigenetically regulated by H3K9 trimethylation (H3K9me3). Prior studies have shown that adolescent binge ethanol dysregulates H3K9 methylation and decreases H3K9-related gene expression in the PFC.

Methods

Here, we assessed ethanol-induced changes to H3K9me3 occupancy at genomic loci in the developing adolescent PFC. We further assessed ethanol-induced changes at the transcription level with qPCR time course approaches in oligodendrocyte-enriched cells to assess changes in oligodendrocyte progenitor and oligodendrocytes specifically.

Results

Adolescent binge ethanol altered H3K9me3 regulation of synaptic-related genes and genes specific for glutamate and potassium channels in a sex-specific manner. In PFC tissue, we found an early change in gene expression in transcription factors associated with oligodendrocyte differentiation that may lead to the later significant decrease in myelin-related gene expression. This effect appeared stronger in males.

Conclusion

Further exploration in oligodendrocyte cell enrichment time course and dose response studies could suggest lasting dysregulation of oligodendrocyte maturation at the transcriptional level. Overall, these studies suggest that binge ethanol may impede oligodendrocyte differentiation required for ongoing myelin development in the PFC by altering H3K9me3 occupancy at synaptic-related genes. We identify potential genes that may be contributing to adolescent binge ethanol-related myelin loss.

Adolescent intermittent ethanol use in male rats do not change cerebellar cell numbers but initiate astroglial reaction

Alcohol consumption during adolescence causes negative structural changes in the cerebellum and can lead to cognitive and motor skill disorders. Unfortunately, the age at which individuals begin drinking alcohol has decreased in recent years, which has drawn attention to the effects of alcohol on neurological changes during preadolescence. In this study, we investigated the effects of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure on the cellular composition of the cerebellum in male rats, particularly when alcohol consumption begins early. The male rats received eight doses of intermittent intraperitoneal injection of 25% (v/v) ethanol (3 g/kg) or saline from postnatal days (PND) 25 to PND 38. In rats, 28-42 days old corresponds to 10-18 years old in humans. Two hours after the last injection, the cells, neurons, and non-neuronal cells in the cerebellum were immunocytochemically labeled and the total numbers of related cells were calculated using the Isotropic Fractionator method. We found that AIE exposure does not change the cell numbers of the cerebellum in the short term, but it does activate astrocytes in the white matter of the cerebellum. These findings suggest that alcohol use during adolescence impairs the innate immune system and negatively affects brain plasticity.

Identification of Genetic and Genomic Influences on Progressive Ethanol Consumption in Diversity Outbred Mice

Genetic factors play a significant role in the risk for development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Using 3-bottle choice intermittent access ethanol (IEA), we have employed the Diversity Outbred (DO) mouse panel as a model of alcohol use disorder in a genetically diverse population. Through use of gene expression network analysis techniques, in combination with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping, we have completed an extensive analysis of the influence of genetic background on gene expression changes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This approach revealed that, in DO mice, genes whose expression was significantly disrupted by intermittent ethanol in the PFC also tended to be those whose expression correlated to intake. This finding is in contrast to previous studies of both mice and nonhuman primates. Importantly, these analyses identified genes involved in myelination in the PFC as significantly disrupted by IEA, correlated to ethanol intake, and having significant eQTLs. Genes that code for canonical components of the myelin sheath, such as Mbp, also emerged as key drivers of the gene expression response to intermittent ethanol drinking. Several regulators of myelination were also key drivers of gene expression, and had significant QTLs, indicating that genetic background may play an important role in regulation of brain myelination. These findings underscore the importance of disruption of normal myelination in the PFC in response to prolonged ethanol exposure, that genetic variation plays an important role in this response, and that this interaction between genetics and myelin disruption in the presence of ethanol may underlie previously observed behavioral changes under intermittent access ethanol drinking such as escalation of consumption.

The persistent impact of adolescent binge alcohol on adult brain structural, cellular, and behavioral pathology: A role for the neuroimmune system and epigenetics

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.