1
|
Oginga FO, Mpofana T. Understanding the role of early life stress and schizophrenia on anxiety and depressive like outcomes: An experimental study. Behav Brain Res 2024; 470:115053. [PMID: 38768688 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse experiences due to early life stress (ELS) or parental psychopathology such as schizophrenia (SZ) have a significant implication on individual susceptibility to psychiatric disorders in the future. However, it is not fully understood how ELS affects social-associated behaviors as well as the developing prefrontal cortex (PFC). OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ELS and ketamine induced schizophrenia like symptoms (KSZ) on anhedonia, social behavior and anxiety-like behavior. METHODS Male and female Sprague-Dawley rat pups were allocated randomly into eight experimental groups, namely control, gestational stress (GS), GS+KSZ, maternal separation (MS), MS+KSZ pups, KSZ parents, KSZ parents and Pups and KSZ pups only. ELS was induced by subjecting the pups to GS and MS, while schizophrenia like symptoms was induced through subcutaneous administration of ketamine. Behavioral assessment included sucrose preference test (SPT) and elevated plus maze (EPM), followed by dopamine testing and analysis of astrocyte density. Statistical analysis involved ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests, revealing significant group differences and yielding insights into behavioral and neurodevelopmental impacts. RESULTS GS, MS, and KSZ (dams) significantly reduced hedonic response and increased anxiety-like responses (p < 0.05). Notably, the presence of normal parental mental health demonstrated a reversal of the observed decline in Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein-positive astrocytes (GFAP+ astrocytes) (p < 0.05) and a reduction in anxiety levels, implying its potential protective influence on depressive-like symptoms and PFC astrocyte functionality. CONCLUSION The present study provides empirical evidence supporting the hypothesis that exposure to ELS and KSZ on dams have a significant impact on the on development of anxiety and depressive like symptoms in Sprague Dawley rats, while positive parenting has a reversal effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fredrick Otieno Oginga
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Science, Kabarak University, Nakuru 20157, Kenya.
| | - Thabisile Mpofana
- Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences North West University, Potchefstroom campus, 11 Hoffman St., Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bucher ML, Dicent J, Duarte Hospital C, Miller GW. Neurotoxicology of dopamine: Victim or assailant? Neurotoxicology 2024; 103:175-188. [PMID: 38857676 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.06.001] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Since the identification of dopamine as a neurotransmitter in the mid-20th century, investigators have examined the regulation of dopamine homeostasis at a basic biological level and in human disorders. Genetic animal models that manipulate the expression of proteins involved in dopamine homeostasis have provided key insight into the consequences of dysregulated dopamine. As a result, we have come to understand the potential of dopamine to act as an endogenous neurotoxin through the generation of reactive oxygen species and reactive metabolites that can damage cellular macromolecules. Endogenous factors, such as genetic variation and subcellular processes, and exogenous factors, such as environmental exposures, have been identified as contributors to the dysregulation of dopamine homeostasis. Given the variety of dysregulating factors that impact dopamine homeostasis and the potential for dopamine itself to contribute to further cellular dysfunction, dopamine can be viewed as both the victim and an assailant of neurotoxicity. Parkinson's disease has emerged as the exemplar case study of dopamine dysregulation due to the genetic and environmental factors known to contribute to disease risk, and due to the evidence of dysregulated dopamine as a pathologic and pathogenic feature of the disease. This review, inspired by the talk, "Dopamine in Durham: location, location, location" presented by Dr. Miller for the Jacob Hooisma Memorial Lecture at the International Neurotoxicology Association meeting in 2023, offers a primer on dopamine toxicity covering endogenous and exogenous factors that disrupt dopamine homeostasis and the actions of dopamine as an endogenous neurotoxin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meghan L Bucher
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jocelyn Dicent
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Carolina Duarte Hospital
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Gary W Miller
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shaik A, Batchu P, Naldurtiker A, Gurrapu P, Kouakou B, Terrill TH, Kannan G. Influence of epinephrine reactivity to stress on meat quality in goats. Transl Anim Sci 2024; 8:txae078. [PMID: 38827159 PMCID: PMC11143493 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txae078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The magnitude of physiological responses to a stressor can vary among individual goats within a herd; however, whether these differences can differentially affect meat quality is not known. This study was conducted to determine the influence of the magnitude of epinephrine response (ER) to acute stress on muscle metabolome and meat quality in goats. Male Spanish goats (6 mo old) were transported for 180 min. (N = 75 goats; 25 goats/d) to impose stress. Blood samples were obtained after transport for analysis of physiological responses. Goats were slaughtered using humane procedures and samples were collected for muscle metabolomics and meat quality analyses. The data obtained from blood and muscle/meat analysis were then categorized based on epinephrine concentrations into low (LE), medium (ME), and high (HE) ER groups (n = 12/ER group). The physiological and meat quality variables were analyzed as a Completely Randomized Design in SAS, and metabolomics data were analyzed using R software. Plasma glucose concentrations were significantly high in the HE group, low in the LE group, and intermediate in the ME group (P < 0.05). However, leukocyte counts and cortisol, norepinephrine, blood urea nitrogen, and creatine concentrations were not different among the ER groups. Muscle (Longissimus dorsi) glycogen concentrations (15 min postmortem) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the ME and LE groups than in the HE group. However, postmortem Longissimus muscle pH and temperature (15 min and 24 h), 24 h calpastatin and desmin levels, and rib chop color (L*, a*, and b*), cooking loss, and Warner-Bratzler shear force values were unaffected by ER. Targeted metabolomics analysis of Longissimus muscle (15 min) revealed that diacyl phosphatidylcholines (C38:0; 40:6) and sphingomyelin (C20:2) were significantly different (P < 0.05) among the ER groups, with the concentrations of these metabolites being consistently high in the LE group. These differential muscle metabolite concentrations suggest that ER can influence biochemical pathways associated with cell membrane integrity and signaling. ER had a significant effect on dopamine concentrations, with the levels increasing with increasing levels of ER. The results indicate that differences in epinephrine reactivity can influence selected physiological responses and muscle metabolites; however, it does not significantly influence meat quality attributes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arshad Shaik
- Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030, USA
| | - Phaneendra Batchu
- Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030, USA
| | - Aditya Naldurtiker
- Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030, USA
| | - Priyanka Gurrapu
- Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030, USA
| | - Brou Kouakou
- Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030, USA
| | - Thomas H Terrill
- Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030, USA
| | - Govind Kannan
- Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Georgia 31030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Petri A, Sullivan A, Allen K, Sachs BD. Genetic loss of the dopamine transporter significantly impacts behavioral and molecular responses to sub-chronic stress in mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1315366. [PMID: 38486964 PMCID: PMC10937361 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1315366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Dopaminergic neurotransmission has emerged as a critical determinant of stress susceptibility and resilience. Although the dopamine transporter (DAT) is known to play a key role in maintaining dopamine (DA) homeostasis, its importance for the regulation of stress susceptibility remains largely unknown. Indeed, while numerous studies have examined the neurochemical and behavioral consequences of genetic loss of DAT, very few have compared responses to stress in wild-type and DAT-knockout (KO) animals. The current study compared the responses of male and female WT and DAT-KO mice to a model of sub-chronic stress. Our results reveal that DAT-KO mice are resistant to stress-induced increases in the latency to enter the light chamber of the light-dark emergence test and demonstrate that DAT-KO mice exhibit baseline reductions in forced swim test immobility and grooming time in the splash test of grooming behavior. In addition to these behavioral changes, our results highlight the importance of sex and dopaminergic neurotransmission on stress-induced changes in the expression and phosphorylation of several signal transduction molecules in the nucleus accumbens that have previously been implicated in the regulation of stress susceptibility, including ERK, GSK3β, and ΔFosB. Overall, these results provide further evidence of the importance of dopaminergic neurotransmission in regulating stress susceptibility and suggest that genetic loss of DAT prevents stress-induced increases in anxiety-like behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Benjamin D. Sachs
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kuiper LB, Roberts JB, Estave PM, Leo D, Gainetdinov RR, Jones SR. Patterns of ethanol intake in male rats with partial dopamine transporter deficiency. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12847. [PMID: 37461188 PMCID: PMC10733570 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Mesolimbic dopamine signaling plays a major role in alcohol and substance use disorders as well as comorbidities such as anxiety and depression. Growing evidence suggests that alcohol drinking is modulated by the function of the dopamine transporter (DAT), which tightly regulates extracellular dopamine concentrations. Adult male rats on a Wistar Han background (DAT+/+) and rats with a partial DAT deletion (DAT+/-) were used in this study. First, using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry in brain slices containing the nucleus accumbens core from ethanol-naïve subjects, we measured greater evoked dopamine concentrations and slower dopamine reuptake in DAT+/- rats, consistent with increased dopamine signaling. Next, we measured ethanol drinking using the intermittent access two-bottle choice paradigm (20% v/v ethanol vs. water) across 5 weeks. DAT+/- rats voluntarily consumed less ethanol during its initial availability (the first 30 min), especially after longer periods of deprivation. In addition, DAT+/- males consumed less ethanol that was adulterated with the bitter tastant quinine. These findings suggest that partial DAT blockade and concomitant increase in brain dopamine levels has potential to reduce drinking and ameliorate alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L. B. Kuiper
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - J. B. Roberts
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - P. M. Estave
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - D. Leo
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of MonsMonsBelgium
| | - R. R. Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational BiomedicineSt. Petersburg State UniversitySt. PetersburgRussia
- St. Petersburg University HospitalSt. Petersburg State UniversitySt. PetersburgRussia
| | - S. R. Jones
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Shen R, Li Z, Wang H, Wang Y, Li X, Yang Q, Fu Y, Li M, Gao LN. Chinese Materia Medica in Treating Depression: The Role of Intestinal Microenvironment. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2023; 51:1927-1955. [PMID: 37930334 DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x23500854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Depression is a highly heterogeneous mental illness. Drug treatment is currently the main therapeutic strategy used in the clinic, but its efficacy is limited by the modulation of a single target, slow onset, and side effects. The gut-brain axis is of increasing interest because intestinal microenvironment disorders increase susceptibility to depression. In turn, depression affects intestinal microenvironment homeostasis by altering intestinal tissue structure, flora abundance and metabolism, hormone secretion, neurotransmitter transmission, and immune balance. Depression falls into the category of "stagnation syndrome" according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which further specifies that "the heart governs the spirit and is exterior-interior with the small intestine". However, the exact mechanisms of the means by which the disordered intestinal microenvironment affects depression are still unclear. Here, we present an overview of how the Chinese materia medica (CMM) protects against depression by repairing intestinal microenvironment homeostasis. We review the past five years of research progress in classical antidepressant TCM formulae and single CMMs on regulating the intestinal microenvironment for the treatment of depression. We then analyze and clarify the multitarget functions of CMM in repairing intestinal homeostasis and aim to provide a new theoretical basis for CMM clinical application in the treatment of depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruhui Shen
- College of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, P. R. China
- College of Pharmacy, Jining Medical University, Rizhao, Shandong 276800, P. R. China
| | - Zhipeng Li
- College of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, P. R. China
| | - Huiyun Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Jining Medical University, Rizhao, Shandong 276800, P. R. China
- Shandong Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Behavioral Interventions of Mental Disorders, Institute of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P. R. China
| | - Yongchao Wang
- Rizhao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rizhao, Shandong 276800, P. R. China
| | - Xiaofang Li
- Rizhao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rizhao, Shandong 276800, P. R. China
| | - Qian Yang
- College of Pharmacy, Jining Medical University, Rizhao, Shandong 276800, P. R. China
| | - Yingjie Fu
- College of Pharmacy, Jining Medical University, Rizhao, Shandong 276800, P. R. China
| | - Ming Li
- College of Pharmacy, Jining Medical University, Rizhao, Shandong 276800, P. R. China
| | - Li-Na Gao
- College of Pharmacy, Jining Medical University, Rizhao, Shandong 276800, P. R. China
- Shandong Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Behavioral Interventions of Mental Disorders, Institute of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P. R. China
- Jining Key Laboratory of Depression Prevention and Treatment, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Vilca S, Wahlestedt C, Izenwasser S, Gainetdinov RR, Pardo M. Dopamine Transporter Knockout Rats Display Epigenetic Alterations in Response to Cocaine Exposure. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1107. [PMID: 37509143 PMCID: PMC10377455 DOI: 10.3390/biom13071107] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: There is an urgent need for effective treatments for cocaine use disorder (CUD), and new pharmacological approaches targeting epigenetic mechanisms appear to be promising options for the treatment of this disease. Dopamine Transporter (DAT) transgenic rats recently have been proposed as a new animal model for studying susceptibility to CUD. (2) Methods: DAT transgenic rats were treated chronically with cocaine (10 mg/kg) for 8 days, and the expression of epigenetic modulators, Lysine Demethylase 6B (KDM6B) and Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4), was examined in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). (3) Results: We show that only full knockout (KO) of DAT impacts basal levels of KDM6B in females. Additionally, cocaine altered the expression of both epigenetic markers in a sex- and genotype-dependent manner. In response to chronic cocaine, KDM6B expression was decreased in male rats with partial DAT mutation (HET), while no changes were observed in wild-type (WT) or KO rats. Indeed, while HET male rats have reduced KDM6B and BRD4 expression, HET female rats showed increased KDM6B and BRD4 expression levels, highlighting the impact of sex on epigenetic mechanisms in response to cocaine. Finally, both male and female KO rats showed increased expression of BRD4, but only KO females exhibited significantly increased KDM6B expression in response to cocaine. Additionally, the magnitude of these effects was bigger in females when compared to males for both epigenetic enzymes. (4) Conclusions: This preliminary study provides additional support that targeting KDM6B and/or BRD4 may potentially be therapeutic in treating addiction-related behaviors in a sex-dependent manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samara Vilca
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Claes Wahlestedt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Sari Izenwasser
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Raul R Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg University Hospital, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Emb. 7-9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Marta Pardo
- Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hlavacova N, Hrivikova K, Karailievova L, Karailiev P, Homberg JR, Jezova D. Altered responsiveness to glutamatergic modulation by MK-801 and to repeated stress of immune challenge in female dopamine transporter knockout rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023:110804. [PMID: 37247803 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110804] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Chronic stress is a key factor in psychiatric and neurological disorders often worsening disease symptoms. In this study, a unique animal model, the dopamine transporter knockout (DAT-KO) rat exhibiting behavioral signs resembling those occurring in mania, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder was used. We have tested the hypothesis that the hyperdopaminergic state in DAT-KO rats (i) modulates behavioral response to the NMDA antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine) and (ii) leads to abnormal endocrine and immune activation under subchronic stress induced by an immune challenge. Glutamatergic modulation with MK-801 induced a different behavioral pattern. While the WT rats responded to MK-801 injection with a robust rise in their locomotor activity, the hyperactive DAT-KO rats exhibited reduced locomotion. Signs of chronic stress including increased basal corticosterone and aldosterone but blunted anxiety were demonstrated in rats lacking the DAT. Repeated injections of increasing doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 days) did not modify plasma prolactin concentrations which were however significantly lower in DAT-KO than in WT rats. Concentrations of plasma high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein were significantly higher in LPS-treated DAT-KO than in WT rats. The gene expression of interleukin-6 in the anterior pituitary increased under the stress induced by the immune challenge in the WT but not the DAT-KO rats. The most evident differences between the genotypes were revealed in the spleen. The splenic gene expression of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and HMGB1 was lower and that of ferritin was higher in DAT-KO compared to WT rats. Obtained results emphasize the functional interaction of the endocrine and immune systems with monoamine and glutamatergic neurotransmission in the mechanisms leading to behavioral alterations and psychiatric disorders associated with dopamine dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natasa Hlavacova
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarina Hrivikova
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lucia Karailievova
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Peter Karailiev
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6525 EN Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Daniela Jezova
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84505 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Savchenko A, Targa G, Fesenko Z, Leo D, Gainetdinov RR, Sukhanov I. Dopamine Transporter Deficient Rodents: Perspectives and Limitations for Neuroscience. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050806. [PMID: 37238676 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The key element of dopamine (DA) neurotransmission is undoubtedly DA transporter (DAT), a transmembrane protein responsible for the synaptic reuptake of the mediator. Changes in DAT's function can be a key mechanism of pathological conditions associated with hyperdopaminergia. The first strain of gene-modified rodents with a lack of DAT were created more than 25 years ago. Such animals are characterized by increased levels of striatal DA, resulting in locomotor hyperactivity, increased levels of motor stereotypes, cognitive deficits, and other behavioral abnormalities. The administration of dopaminergic and pharmacological agents affecting other neurotransmitter systems can mitigate those abnormalities. The main purpose of this review is to systematize and analyze (1) known data on the consequences of changes in DAT expression in experimental animals, (2) results of pharmacological studies in these animals, and (3) to estimate the validity of animals lacking DAT as models for discovering new treatments of DA-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Artem Savchenko
- Valdman Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov First St. Petersburg State Medical University, Lev Tolstoy Str. 6-8, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Giorgia Targa
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Zoia Fesenko
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya Emb., 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Damiana Leo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Raul R Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya Emb., 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
- St. Petersburg University Hospital, St. Petersburg State University, Fontanka River Emb. 154, 190121 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ilya Sukhanov
- Valdman Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov First St. Petersburg State Medical University, Lev Tolstoy Str. 6-8, 197022 St. Petersburg, Russia
- St. Petersburg University Hospital, St. Petersburg State University, Fontanka River Emb. 154, 190121 St. Petersburg, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Pardo M, Martin M, Gainetdinov RR, Mash DC, Izenwasser S. Heterozygote Dopamine Transporter Knockout Rats Display Enhanced Cocaine Locomotion in Adolescent Females. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315414. [PMID: 36499749 PMCID: PMC9736933 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cocaine is a powerful psychostimulant that is one of the most widely used illicit addictive. The dopamine transporter (DAT) plays a major role in mediating cocaine's reward effect. Decreases in DAT expression increase rates of drug abuse and vulnerability to comorbid psychiatric disorders. We used the novel DAT transgenic rat model to study the effects of cocaine on locomotor behaviors in adolescent rats, with an emphasis on sex. Female rats showed higher response rates to cocaine at lower acute and chronic doses, highlighting a higher vulnerability and perceived gender effects. In contrast, locomotor responses to an acute high dose of cocaine were more marked and sustained in male DAT heterozygous (HET) adolescents. The results demonstrate the augmented effects of chronic cocaine in HET DAT adolescent female rats. Knockout (KO) DAT led to a level of hyperdopaminergia which caused a marked basal hyperactivity that was unchanged, consistent with a possible ceiling effect. We suggest a role of alpha synuclein (α-syn) and PICK 1 protein expressions to the increased vulnerability in female rats. These proteins showed a lower expression in female HET and KO rats. This study highlights gender differences associated with mutations which affect DAT expression and can increase susceptibility to cocaine abuse in adolescence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pardo
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-786-230-7181
| | - Michele Martin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Raul R. Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine and St. Petersburg University Hospital, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Emb. 7-9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Deborah C Mash
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Sari Izenwasser
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Marchetti B, Giachino C, Tirolo C, Serapide MF. "Reframing" dopamine signaling at the intersection of glial networks in the aged Parkinsonian brain as innate Nrf2/Wnt driver: Therapeutical implications. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13575. [PMID: 35262262 PMCID: PMC9009237 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) signaling via G protein‐coupled receptors is a multifunctional neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine–immune modulator. The DA nigrostriatal pathway, which controls the motor coordination, progressively degenerates in Parkinson's disease (PD), a most common neurodegenerative disorder (ND) characterized by a selective, age‐dependent loss of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) neurons, where DA itself is a primary source of oxidative stress and mitochondrial impairment, intersecting astrocyte and microglial inflammatory networks. Importantly, glia acts as a preferential neuroendocrine–immune DA target, in turn, counter‐modulating inflammatory processes. With a major focus on DA intersection within the astrocyte–microglial inflammatory network in PD vulnerability, we herein first summarize the characteristics of DA signaling systems, the propensity of DA neurons to oxidative stress, and glial inflammatory triggers dictating the vulnerability to PD. Reciprocally, DA modulation of astrocytes and microglial reactivity, coupled to the synergic impact of gene–environment interactions, then constitute a further level of control regulating midbrain DA neuron (mDAn) survival/death. Not surprisingly, within this circuitry, DA converges to modulate nuclear factor erythroid 2‐like 2 (Nrf2), the master regulator of cellular defense against oxidative stress and inflammation, and Wingless (Wnt)/β‐catenin signaling, a key pathway for mDAn neurogenesis, neuroprotection, and immunomodulation, adding to the already complex “signaling puzzle,” a novel actor in mDAn–glial regulatory machinery. Here, we propose an autoregulatory feedback system allowing DA to act as an endogenous Nrf2/Wnt innate modulator and trace the importance of DA receptor agonists applied to the clinic as immune modifiers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Marchetti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC) Pharmacology Section Medical School University of Catania Catania Italy
- OASI Research Institute‐IRCCS, Troina (EN), Italy Troina Italy
| | | | - Cataldo Tirolo
- OASI Research Institute‐IRCCS, Troina (EN), Italy Troina Italy
| | - Maria F. Serapide
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC) Pharmacology Section Medical School University of Catania Catania Italy
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Dopamine transporter silencing in the rat: systems-level alterations in striato-cerebellar and prefrontal-midbrain circuits. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:2329-2339. [PMID: 35246636 PMCID: PMC9126810 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01471-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Silencing of dopamine transporter (DAT), a main controlling factor of dopaminergic signaling, results in biochemical and behavioral features characteristic for neuropsychiatric diseases with presumed hyperdopaminergia including schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Investigation of DAT silencing thus provides a transdiagnostic approach towards a systems-level understanding of common underlying pathways. Using a high-field multimodal imaging approach and a highly sensitive cryogenic coil, we integrated structural, functional and metabolic investigations in tandem with behavioral assessments on a newly developed preclinical rat model, comparing DAT homozygous knockout (DAT-KO, N = 14), heterozygous knockout (N = 8) and wild-type male rats (N = 14). We identified spatially distributed structural and functional brain alterations encompassing motor, limbic and associative loops that demonstrated strong behavioral relevance and were highly consistent across imaging modalities. DAT-KO rats manifested pronounced volume loss in the dorsal striatum, negatively correlating with cerebellar volume increase. These alterations were associated with hyperlocomotion, repetitive behavior and loss of efficient functional small-world organization. Further, prefrontal and midbrain regions manifested opposite changes in functional connectivity and local network topology. These prefrontal disturbances were corroborated by elevated myo-inositol levels and increased volume. To conclude, our imaging genetics approach provides multimodal evidence for prefrontal-midbrain decoupling and striato-cerebellar neuroplastic compensation as two key features of constitutive DAT blockade, proposing them as transdiagnostic mechanisms of hyperdopaminergia. Thus, our study connects developmental DAT blockade to systems-level brain changes, underlying impaired action inhibition control and resulting in motor hyperactivity and compulsive-like features relevant for ADHD, schizophrenia and OCD.
Collapse
|
13
|
Savchenko A, Müller C, Lubec J, Leo D, Korz V, Afjehi-Sadat L, Malikovic J, Sialana FJ, Lubec G, Sukhanov I. The Lack of Dopamine Transporter Is Associated With Conditional Associative Learning Impairments and Striatal Proteomic Changes. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:799433. [PMID: 35370807 PMCID: PMC8971526 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.799433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) is critically involved in different functions of the central nervous system (CNS) including control of voluntary movement, affect, reward, sleep, and cognition. One of the key components of DA neurotransmission is DA reuptake by the DA transporter (DAT), ensuring rapid clearance of DA from the synaptic cleft. Thus, lack of DAT leads to persistent high extracellular DA levels. While there is strong evidence for a role of striatal dopaminergic activity in learning and memory processes, little is known about the contribution of DAT deficiency to conditional learning impairments and underlying molecular processes. DAT-knockout (DAT-KO) rats were tested in a set of behavioral experiments evaluating conditional associative learning, which requires unaltered striatal function. In parallel, a large-scale proteomic analysis of the striatum was performed to identify molecular factors probably underlying behavioral patterns. DAT-KO rats were incapable to acquire a new operant skill in Pavlovian/instrumental autoshaping, although the conditional stimulus-unconditional stimulus (CS-US) association seems to be unaffected. These findings suggest that DAT directly or indirectly contributes to the reduction of transference of incentive salience from the reward to the CS. We propose that specific impairment of conditional learning might be caused by molecular adaptations to the hyperdopaminergic state, presumably by dopamine receptor 1 (DRD1) hypofunction, as proposed by proteomic analysis. Whether DRD1 downregulation can cause cognitive deficits in the hyperdopaminergic state is the subject of discussion, and further studies are needed to answer this question. This study may be useful for the interpretation of previous and the design of future studies in the dopamine field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Artem Savchenko
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Carina Müller
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jana Lubec
- Programme for Proteomics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Damiana Leo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Volker Korz
- Programme for Proteomics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Leila Afjehi-Sadat
- Programme for Proteomics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Jovana Malikovic
- Programme for Proteomics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Fernando J Sialana
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gert Lubec
- Programme for Proteomics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Ilya Sukhanov
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Early Adolescence Prefrontal Cortex Alterations in Female Rats Lacking Dopamine Transporter. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9020157. [PMID: 33562738 PMCID: PMC7914429 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9020157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoamine dysfunctions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) can contribute to diverse neuropsychiatric disorders, including ADHD, bipolar disorder, PTSD and depression. Disrupted dopamine (DA) homeostasis, and more specifically dopamine transporter (DAT) alterations, have been reported in a variety of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Recent studies using female adult rats heterozygous (DAT+/-) and homozygous (DAT-/-) for DAT gene, showed the utility of those rats in the study of PTSD and ADHD. Currently, a gap in the knowledge of these disorders affecting adolescent females still represents a major limit for the development of appropriate treatments. The present work focuses on the characterization of the PFC function under conditions of heterozygous and homozygous ablation of DAT during early adolescence based on the known implication of DAT and PFC DA in psychopathology during adolescence. We report herein that genetic ablation of DAT in the early adolescent PFC of female rats leads to changes in neuronal and glial cell homeostasis. In brief, we observed a concurrent hyperactive phenotype, accompanied by PFC alterations in glutamatergic neurotransmission, signs of neurodegeneration and glial activation in DAT-ablated rats. The present study provides further understanding of underlying neuroinflammatory pathological processes that occur in DAT-ablated female rats, what can provide novel investigational approaches in human diseases.
Collapse
|