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Shaikh M, Doshi G. Epigenetic Aging in Major Depressive Disorder: Clocks, Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives. Eur J Pharmacol 2024:176757. [PMID: 38897440 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176757] [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: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Depression, a chronic mental disorder characterized by persistent sadness, loss of interest, and difficulty in daily tasks, impacts millions globally with varying treatment options. Antidepressants, despite their long half-life and minimal effectiveness, leave half of patients undertreated, highlighting the need for new therapies to enhance well-being. Epigenetics, which studies genetic changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype without altering the underlying Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) sequence, is explored in this article. This article delves into the intricate relationship between epigenetic mechanisms and depression, shedding light on how environmental stressors, early-life adversity, and genetic predispositions shape gene expression patterns associated with depression. We have also discussed Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which enhance cognitive function and mood regulation in depression. Non-coding RNAs, (ncRNAs) such as Long Non-Coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and micro RNA (miRNAs), are highlighted as potential biomarkers for detecting and monitoring major depressive disorder (MDD). This article also emphasizes the reversible nature of epigenetic modifications and their influence on neuronal growth processes, underscoring the dynamic interplay between genetics, environment, and epigenetics in depression development. It explores the therapeutic potential of targeting epigenetic pathways in treating clinical depression. Additionally, it examines clinical findings related to epigenetic clocks and their role in studying depression and biological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muqtada Shaikh
- SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai-400 056, India
| | - Gaurav Doshi
- SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai-400 056, India.
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2
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Xu H, Zhang T, Li L, Qu Y, Li L, Yan Y, Wu L, Yan C. Paeoniflorin exerts anti-PTSD effects in adult rats by modulating hippocampus and amygdala histone acetylation modifications in response to early life stress. Chem Biol Interact 2024; 396:111035. [PMID: 38703807 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2024.111035] [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: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) can cause long-term changes by epigenetic factors, especially histone acetylation modification, playing a crucial role, affect normal cognition, mood, and behavior, and increase susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adulthood. It has been found that paeoniflorin (PF) can cross the blood-brain barrier to exert anti-PTSD effects on adult PTSD rats. However, whether PF can alleviate the harmful effects caused by ELS in adulthood has not yet been reported. Therefore, to explore the relationship between ELS and PTSD susceptibility in adulthood and its mechanism, in this study, SPS was used as a stressor of ELS, and the mathematical tool Z-normalization was employed as an evaluation criterion of behavioral resilience susceptibility. To investigate the regulatory mechanism of PF on histone acetylation in the hippocampus and amygdala of ELS rats in adulthood, using changes in HATs/HDACs as the entry point, meanwhile, the epigenetic marks (H3K9 and H4K12) in the key brain regions of ELS (hippocampus and amygdala) were evaluated, and the effects of PF on behavioral representation and PTSD susceptibility were observed. This study found that ELS lead to a series of PTSD-like behaviors in adulthood and caused imbalance of HATs/HDACs ratio in the hippocampus and amygdala, which confirms that ELS is an important risk factor for the development of PTSD in adulthood. In addition, paeoniflorin may improve ELS-induced PTSD-like behaviors and reduce the susceptibility of ELS rats to develop PTSD in adulthood by modulating the HATs/HDACs ratio in the hippocampus and amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanfang Xu
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China.
| | - Tiange Zhang
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China.
| | - Ling Li
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China
| | - Yue Qu
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China
| | - Lanxin Li
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China
| | - Yuqi Yan
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China
| | - Lili Wu
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China.
| | - Can Yan
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China.
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Wu T, Shao Y, Li X, Wu T, Yu L, Liang J, Zhang Y, Wang J, Sun T, Zhu Y, Chang X, Wang S, Chen F, Han X. NR3C1/Glucocorticoid receptor activation promotes pancreatic β-cell autophagy overload in response to glucolipotoxicity. Autophagy 2023; 19:2538-2557. [PMID: 37039556 PMCID: PMC10392762 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2023.2200625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetes is a complex and heterogeneous disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. Its core cause is progressively impaired insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cell failures, usually upon a background of preexisting insulin resistance. Recent studies demonstrate that macroautophagy/autophagy is essential to maintain architecture and function of β-cells, whereas excessive autophagy is also involved in β-cell dysfunction and death. It has been poorly understood whether autophagy plays a protective or harmful role in β-cells, while we report here that it is dependent on NR3C1/glucocorticoid receptor activation. We proved that deleterious hyperactive autophagy happened only upon NR3C1 activation in β-cells under glucolipotoxic conditions, which eventually promoted diabetes. The transcriptome and the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylome revealed that NR3C1-enhancement upregulated the RNA demethylase FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) protein in β-cells, which caused diminished m6A modifications on mRNAs of four core Atg (autophagy related) genes (Atg12, Atg5, Atg16l2, Atg9a) and, hence, hyperactive autophagy and defective insulin output; by contrast, FTO inhibition, achieved by the specific FTO inhibitor Dac51, prevented NR3C1-instigated excessive autophagy activation. Importantly, Dac51 effectively alleviated impaired insulin secretion and glucose intolerance in hyperglycemic β-cell specific NR3C1 overexpression mice. Our results determine that the NR3C1-FTO-m6A modifications-Atg genes axis acts as a key mediator of balanced autophagic flux in pancreatic β-cells, which offers a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetes.Abbreviations: 3-MA: 3-methyladenine; AAV: adeno-associated virus; Ac: acetylation; Ad: adenovirus; AL: autolysosome; ATG: autophagy related; AUC: area under curve; Baf A1: bafilomycin A1; βNR3C1 mice: pancreatic β-cell-specific NR3C1 overexpression mice; cFBS: charcoal-stripped FBS; Ctrl: control; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; FTO: fat mass and obesity associated; GC: glucocorticoid; GRE: glucocorticoid response element; GSIS: glucose-stimulated insulin secretion assay; HFD: high-fat diet; HG: high glucose; HsND: non-diabetic human; HsT2D: type 2 diabetic human; i.p.: intraperitoneal injected; KSIS: potassium-stimulated insulin secretion assay; m6A: N6-methyladenosine; MeRIP-seq: methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing; NR3C1/GR: nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1; NR3C1-Enhc.: NR3C1-enhancement; NC: negative control; Palm.: palmitate; RNA-seq: RNA sequencing; T2D: type 2 diabetes; TEM: transmission electron microscopy; UTR: untranslated region; WT: wild-type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tijun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yixue Shao
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xirui Li
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ling Yu
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin Liang
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yaru Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiahui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunxia Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoai Chang
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shusen Wang
- Organ Transplant Center, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Fang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao Han
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Wang X, Sun Z, Yang T, Lin F, Ye S, Yan J, Li T, Chen J. Sodium butyrate facilitates CRHR2 expression to alleviate HPA axis hyperactivity in autism-like rats induced by prenatal lipopolysaccharides through histone deacetylase inhibition. mSystems 2023; 8:e0041523. [PMID: 37358267 PMCID: PMC10469781 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00415-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs, especially butyric acid) have been demonstrated to play a promising role in the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Recently, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is also suggested to increase the risk of ASD. However, the mechanism underlying SCFAs and HPA axis in ASD development remains unknown. Here, we show that children with ASD exhibited lower SCFA concentrations and higher cortisol levels, which were recaptured in prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-exposed rat model of ASD. These offspring also showed decreased SCFA-producing bacteria and histone acetylation activity as well as impaired corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 2 (CRHR2) expression. Sodium butyrate (NaB), which can act as histone deacetylases inhibitors, significantly increased histone acetylation at the CRHR2 promoter in vitro and normalized the corticosterone as well as CRHR2 expression level in vivo. Behavioral assays indicated ameliorative effects of NaB on anxiety and social deficit in LPS-exposed offspring. Our results imply that NaB treatment can improve ASD-like symptoms via epigenetic regulation of the HPA axis in offspring; thus, it may provide new insight into the SCFA treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders like ASD. IMPORTANCE Growing evidence suggests that microbiota can affect brain function and behavior through the "microbiome-gut-brain'' axis, but its mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we show that both children with autism and LPS-exposed rat model of autism exhibited lower SCFA concentrations and overactivation of HPA axis. SCFA-producing bacteria, Lactobacillus, might be the key differential microbiota between the control and LPS-exposed offspring. Interestingly, NaB treatment contributed to the regulation of HPA axis (such as corticosterone as well as CRHR2) and improvement of anxiety and social deficit behaviors in LPS-exposed offspring. The potential underlying mechanism of the ameliorative effect of NaB may be mediated via increasing histone acetylation to the CRHR2 promoter. These results enhance our understanding of the relationship between the SCFAs and the HPA axis in the development of ASD. And gut microbiota-derived SCFAs may serve as a potential therapeutic agent to neurodevelopmental disorders like ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyuan Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Childhood Nutrition and Health, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhujun Sun
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Childhood Nutrition and Health, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Ting Yang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Childhood Nutrition and Health, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Fang Lin
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Childhood Nutrition and Health, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Shasha Ye
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Childhood Nutrition and Health, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Junyan Yan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Childhood Nutrition and Health, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Tingyu Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Childhood Nutrition and Health, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Childhood Nutrition and Health, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Chongqing, China
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Wu X, Li L, Zhou B, Wang J, Shao W. Connexin 43 regulates astrocyte dysfunction and cognitive deficits in early life stress-treated mice. Exp Brain Res 2023; 241:1207-1214. [PMID: 36939885 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-023-06587-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
Early life stress such as maternal separation (MS), is a major risk factor for developing psychiatric disorders in adulthood. Connexin 43 (CX43), the main type of connexins expressed in astrocytes, has been indicated to participate in depression disorders. Nevertheless, the role of CX43 in MS-induced cognitive impairment and astrocyte dysfunction is unclear. Neonatal C57BL/6 mice were exposed to MS to mimic early life stress. Adeno-associated virus carrying CX43 was inoculated into mice for CX43 overexpression. Sucrose preference test, forced swim test and Morris water maze were performed for evaluating depression-like behaviors and spatial learning and memory of mice in adulthood. Real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was conducted to detect CX43 mRNA expression in mouse brain. Immunofluorescence staining and western blotting were used for measuring expression levels of astrocytic markers in murine hippocampal dentate gyrus. The results showed that overexpressing CX43 attenuated MS exposure-induced depression-like behaviors and decrease in spatial learning and memory in mice. Upregulating CX43 alleviated MS exposure-induced downregulation of astrocytic markers. Collectively, CX43 overexpression attenuates cognitive deficits and astrocyte dysfunction in mice exposed to MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Wu
- Department of Neurology, Wuhan First Hospital, Qiaokou District, No. 215 Zhongshan Avenue, Wuhan, 430033, China
| | - Lijuan Li
- Department of Neurology, Wuhan First Hospital, Qiaokou District, No. 215 Zhongshan Avenue, Wuhan, 430033, China
| | - Bingling Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Wuhan First Hospital, Qiaokou District, No. 215 Zhongshan Avenue, Wuhan, 430033, China
| | - Junli Wang
- Department of Neurology, Wuhan First Hospital, Qiaokou District, No. 215 Zhongshan Avenue, Wuhan, 430033, China
| | - Wei Shao
- Department of Neurology, Wuhan First Hospital, Qiaokou District, No. 215 Zhongshan Avenue, Wuhan, 430033, China.
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Jeličić L, Veselinović A, Ćirović M, Jakovljević V, Raičević S, Subotić M. Maternal Distress during Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: Underlying Mechanisms and Child's Developmental Outcomes-A Narrative Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213932. [PMID: 36430406 PMCID: PMC9692872 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal mental health may be considered a determining factor influencing fetal and child development. An essential factor with potentially negative consequences for a child's psychophysiological development is the presence of maternal distress during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The review is organized and presented to explore and describe the effects of anxiety, stress, and depression in pregnancy and the postpartum period on adverse child developmental outcomes. The neurobiology of maternal distress and the transmission mechanisms at the molecular level to the fetus and child are noted. In addition, the paper discusses the findings of longitudinal studies in which early child development is monitored concerning the presence of maternal distress in pregnancy and the postpartum period. This topic gained importance in the COVID-19 pandemic context, during which a higher frequency of maternal psychological disorders was observed. The need for further interdisciplinary research on the relationship between maternal mental health and fetal/child development was highlighted, especially on the biological mechanisms underlying the transmission of maternal distress to the (unborn) child, to achieve positive developmental outcomes and improve maternal and child well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ljiljana Jeličić
- Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Research and Development Institute “Life Activities Advancement Institute”, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Institute for Experimental Phonetics and Speech Pathology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +381-11-3208-519; Fax: +381-11-2624-168
| | - Aleksandra Veselinović
- Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Research and Development Institute “Life Activities Advancement Institute”, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Institute for Experimental Phonetics and Speech Pathology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milica Ćirović
- Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Research and Development Institute “Life Activities Advancement Institute”, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Institute for Experimental Phonetics and Speech Pathology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vladimir Jakovljević
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Human Pathology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Saša Raičević
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montenegro, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
- Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center of Montenegro, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
| | - Miško Subotić
- Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Research and Development Institute “Life Activities Advancement Institute”, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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Chaudhari PR, Singla A, Vaidya VA. Early Adversity and Accelerated Brain Aging: A Mini-Review. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:822917. [PMID: 35392273 PMCID: PMC8980717 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.822917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early adversity is an important risk factor that influences brain aging. Diverse animal models of early adversity, including gestational stress and postnatal paradigms disrupting dam-pup interactions evoke not only persistent neuroendocrine dysfunction and anxio-depressive behaviors, but also perturb the trajectory of healthy brain aging. The process of brain aging is thought to involve hallmark features such as mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, evoking impairments in neuronal bioenergetics. Furthermore, brain aging is associated with disrupted proteostasis, progressively defective epigenetic and DNA repair mechanisms, the build-up of neuroinflammatory states, thus cumulatively driving cellular senescence, neuronal and cognitive decline. Early adversity is hypothesized to evoke an “allostatic load” via an influence on several of the key physiological processes that define the trajectory of healthy brain aging. In this review we discuss the evidence that animal models of early adversity impinge on fundamental mechanisms of brain aging, setting up a substratum that can accelerate and compromise the time-line and nature of brain aging, and increase risk for aging-associated neuropathologies.
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Almeida MM, Dias-Rocha CP, Calviño C, Trevenzoli IH. Lipid endocannabinoids in energy metabolism, stress and developmental programming. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2022; 542:111522. [PMID: 34843899 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates brain development and function, energy metabolism and stress in a sex-, age- and tissue-dependent manner. The ECS comprises mainly the bioactive lipid ligands anandamide (AEA) and 2-aracdonoylglycerol (2-AG), cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2), and several metabolizing enzymes. The endocannabinoid tonus is increased in obesity, stimulating food intake and a preference for fat, reward, and lipid accumulation in peripheral tissues, as well as favoring a positive energy balance. Energy balance and stress responses share adaptive mechanisms regulated by the ECS that seem to underlie the complex relationship between feeding and emotional behavior. The ECS is also a key regulator of development. Environmental insults (diet, toxicants, and stress) in critical periods of developmental plasticity, such as gestation, lactation and adolescence, alter the ECS and may predispose individuals to the development of chronic diseases and behavioral changes in the long term. This review is focused on the ECS and the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Macedo Almeida
- Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Camila Calviño
- Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Isis Hara Trevenzoli
- Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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9
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Cahill B, Poelker-Wells S, Prather JF, Li Y. A Glimpse Into the Sexual Dimorphisms in Major Depressive Disorder Through Epigenetic Studies. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:768571. [PMID: 34744641 PMCID: PMC8564393 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.768571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is an umbrella term used to describe a mood disorder with a broad spectrum of symptoms including a persistent feeling of sadness, loss of interest, and deficits in social behavior. Epigenetic research bridges the environmental and genetic landscape and has the potential to exponentially improve our understanding of such a complex disorder. Depression is also a sexually dimorphic disorder and variations exist within epigenetic modification sites between sexes. These sex-specific mediators may impact behavioral symptomology and could serve as therapeutic targets for treatments to improve behavioral deficits. This mini review will focus on the social behavior perspective of depression and specifically explore the sexually different epigenetic modifications on depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branden Cahill
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Samuel Poelker-Wells
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Jonathan F Prather
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Yun Li
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
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10
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Motavalli R, Majidi T, Pourlak T, Abediazar S, Shoja MM, Zununi Vahed S, Etemadi J. The clinical significance of the glucocorticoid receptors: Genetics and epigenetics. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 213:105952. [PMID: 34274458 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2021.105952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The impacts of glucocorticoids (GCs) are mainly mediated by a nuclear receptor (GR) existing in almost every tissue. The GR regulates a wide range of physiological functions, including inflammation, cell metabolism, and differentiation playing a major role in cellular responses to GCs and stress. Therefore, the dysregulation or disruption of GR can cause deficiencies in the adaptation to stress and the preservation of homeostasis. The number of GR polymorphisms associated with different diseases has been mounting per year. Tackling these clinical complications obliges a comprehensive understanding of the molecular network action of GCs at the level of the GR structure and its signaling pathways. Beyond genetic variation in the GR gene, epigenetic changes can enhance our understanding of causal factors involved in the development of diseases and identifying biomarkers. In this review, we highlight the relationships of GC receptor gene polymorphisms and epigenetics with different diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roza Motavalli
- Kidney Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Taraneh Majidi
- Kidney Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Tala Pourlak
- Department of Pathology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sima Abediazar
- Kidney Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammadali M Shoja
- Clinical Academy of Teaching and Learning, Ross University School of Medicine, Miramar, FL, USA
| | | | - Jalal Etemadi
- Kidney Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Seo MK, Lee JG, Park SW. Early life stress induces age-dependent epigenetic changes in p11 gene expression in male mice. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10663. [PMID: 34471143 PMCID: PMC8410943 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89593-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) causes long-lasting changes in gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms. However, little is known about the effects of ELS in adulthood, specifically across different age groups. In this study, the epigenetic modifications of p11 expression in adult mice subjected to ELS were investigated in different stages of adulthood. Pups experienced maternal separation (MS) for 3 h daily from postnatal day 1 to 21. At young and middle adulthood, behavioral test, hippocampal p11 expression levels, and levels of histone acetylation and methylation and DNA methylation at the hippocampal p11 promoter were measured. Middle-aged, but not young adult, MS mice exhibited increased immobility time in the forced swimming test. Concurrent with reduced hippocampal p11 levels, mice in both age groups showed a decrease in histone acetylation (AcH3) and permissive histone methylation (H3K4me3) at the p11 promoter, as well as an increase in repressive histone methylation (H3K27me3). Moreover, our results showed that the expression, AcH3 and H3Kme3 levels of p11 gene in response to MS were reduced with age. DNA methylation analysis of the p11 promoter revealed increased CpG methylation in middle-aged MS mice only. The results highlight the age-dependent deleterious effects of ELS on the epigenetic modifications of p11 transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Kyoung Seo
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, 47392, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Goo Lee
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, 47392, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, 48108, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sung Woo Park
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, 47392, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Convergence Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan, 47392, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Epigenetic Targeting of Histone Deacetylases in Diagnostics and Treatment of Depression. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22105398. [PMID: 34065586 PMCID: PMC8160658 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a highly prevalent, disabling, and often chronic illness that places substantial burdens on patients, families, healthcare systems, and the economy. A substantial minority of patients are unresponsive to current therapies, so there is an urgent need to develop more broadly effective, accessible, and tolerable therapies. Pharmacological regulation of histone acetylation level has been investigated as one potential clinical strategy. Histone acetylation status is considered a potential diagnostic biomarker for depression, while inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs) have garnered interest as novel therapeutics. This review describes recent advances in our knowledge of histone acetylation status in depression and the therapeutic potential of HDAC inhibitors.
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13
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Stoneham ET, McHail DG, Samipour-Biel S, Liehr N, Lee CM, Evans JC, Boggs K, Dumas TC. Spatial Learning Is Impaired in Male Pubertal Rats Following Neonatal Daily but Not Randomly Spaced Maternal Deprivation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:621308. [PMID: 33816470 PMCID: PMC8012507 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.621308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe early life stress has long been associated with neuropsychological disorders in adulthood, including depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and memory dysfunction. To some extent, all of these conditions involve dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and reduced negative feedback inhibition of cortisol release in adulthood. However, the time course for mental health and hormonal outcomes across life stages and the attributes of early life stress that direct the behavioral and biological alterations is not fully understood. We designed our studies to compare outcomes of the two most common maternal deprivation schedules on cognitive ability prior to adulthood. We exposed rat pups to daily or randomly spaced maternal separation bouts within the first 3 weeks of life and examined cognitive performance, neurotrophic signaling, and stress and immune system markers during puberty. We found that the daily separation schedule impaired spatial learning while the randomly spaced schedule did not alter maze performance relative to normally reared control animals. Animals that underwent daily separation showed a tendency for reduced body weight compared to the randomly spaced condition, but there were no differences in adrenal weight. Thymus weight normalized by body weight was increased following daily separation compared to random separation and control conditions. Plasma corticosterone levels measured after behavior testing did not differ amongst experimental groups and there was no impact of TrKB receptor inhibition. Combined, the results show that different early life stress schedules produce different behavioral and biological outcomes when measured at puberty. Combined with prior findings from more mature animals, the results presented here suggest that daily neonatal stress produces varied alterations in spatial cognition at different life stages with a transient learning deficit at puberty preceding a more persistent and a progressive memory impairment through adulthood and into aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily T Stoneham
- Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Daniel G McHail
- Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | | | - Nicole Liehr
- George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | | | | | | | - Theodore C Dumas
- Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
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14
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Hosoi T, Yamawaki Y, Kimura H, Honda S, Ozawa K. Possible Involvement of MyD88 in Regulating Stress Response in Mice. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:621446. [PMID: 33790733 PMCID: PMC8006405 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.621446] [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: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) is an adapter protein of the toll-like receptor (TLR) family that regulates innate immune function. Here, we identified a novel role of MyD88 in regulating stress response. MyD88 deficiency decreased immobility time in the forced swim test without affecting locomotor activity in mice. Immobilization stress-induced production of serum corticosterone was also completely inhibited by MyD88 deficiency. Stress induced decrease in glucocorticoid receptor in the hippocampus. On the other hand, stress exposure in MyD88 deficient mice did not cause decrease in its level in the hippocampus. Furthermore, immobilization stress-induced reduction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the hippocampus was ameliorated by MyD88 deficiency. These results suggest that MyD88 deficiency attenuates depression-like behavior by regulating corticosterone and BDNF levels. Overall, these results indicate the key role of MyD88 in regulating stress response in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toru Hosoi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sanyo-Onoda City University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Yosuke Yamawaki
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Laboratory of Advanced Pharmacology, Daiichi University of Pharmacy, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hitomi Kimura
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Shoko Honda
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Koichiro Ozawa
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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15
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The Importance of Epigenetics in Diagnostics and Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11030167. [PMID: 33804455 PMCID: PMC7999864 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11030167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies imply that there is a tight association between epigenetics and a molecular mechanism of major depressive disorder (MDD). Epigenetic modifications, i.e., DNA methylation, post-translational histone modification and interference of microRNA (miRNA) or long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), are able to influence the severity of the disease and the outcome of the therapy. This article summarizes the most recent literature data on this topic, i.e., usage of histone deacetylases as therapeutic agents with an antidepressant effect and miRNAs or lncRNAs as markers of depression. Due to the noteworthy potential of the role of epigenetics in MDD diagnostics and therapy, we have gathered the most relevant data in this area.
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