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Sardari M, Mohammadpourmir F, Hosseinzadeh Sahafi O, Rezayof A. Neuronal biomarkers as potential therapeutic targets for drug addiction related to sex differences in the brain: Opportunities for personalized treatment approaches. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 134:111068. [PMID: 38944334 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Biological sex disparities manifest at various stages of drug addiction, including craving, substance abuse, abstinence, and relapse. These discrepancies are underpinned by notable distinctions in neurobiological substrates, encompassing brain structures, functions, and neurotransmitter systems implicated in drug addiction. Neuronal biomarkers, such as neurotransmitters, signaling proteins, and genes may be associated with the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment outcomes in both biological sexes afflicted by drug abuse. Sex differences in the neural reward system, mainly through dopaminergic transmission during drug abuse, can be attributed to modifications in neurotransmitter systems and signaling pathways. This results in distinct patterns of neural activation and responsiveness to addictive substances in males and females. Sex hormones, the estrus/menstrual cycle, and cerebral neurochemistry contribute to the progression of psychological and physiological dependence in both male and female individuals grappling with addiction. Moreover, the alteration of sex hormone balance and neurotransmitter release plays a pivotal role in substance use disorders, subsequently modulating cognitive functions pertinent to reward, including memory formation, decision-making, and locomotor activity. Comparative investigations reveal distinctions in brain region volume, gene expression, neuronal firing, and circuitry in substance use disorders affecting individuals of both biological sexes. This review examines prevalent substance use disorders to elucidate the impact of sex hormones as therapeutic biomarkers on the mesocorticolimbic neurotransmitter systems via diverse mechanisms within the addicted brain. We underscore the imperative necessity of considering these variations to gain a deeper comprehension of addiction mechanisms and potentially discern sex-specific neuronal biomarkers for tailored therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Sardari
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farina Mohammadpourmir
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Oveis Hosseinzadeh Sahafi
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Ameneh Rezayof
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
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Borland JM. The effects of different types of social interactions on the electrophysiology of neurons in the nucleus accumbens in rodents. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 164:105809. [PMID: 39004323 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105809] [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: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
BORLAND, J.M., The effects of different types of social interactions on the electrophysiology of neurons in the nucleus accumbens in rodents, NEUROSCI BIOBEH REV 21(1) XXX-XXX, 2024.-Sociality shapes an organisms' life. The nucleus accumbens is a critical brain region for mental health. In the following review, the effects of different types of social interactions on the physiology of neurons in the nucleus accumbens is synthesized. More specifically, the effects of sex behavior, aggression, social defeat, pair-bonding, play behavior, affiliative interactions, parental behaviors, the isolation from social interactions and maternal separation on measures of excitatory synaptic transmission, intracellular signaling and factors of transcription and translation in neurons in the nucleus accumbens in rodent models are reviewed. Similarities and differences in effects depending on the type of social interaction is then discussed. This review improves the understanding of the molecular and synaptic mechanisms of sociality.
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Salloum F, Farran M, Shaib H, Jurjus A, Sleiman R, Khalil MI. Establishing an OCD Model in BALB/c Mice Using RU24969: A Molecular and Behavioural Study of Optimal Dose Selection. Behav Neurol 2024; 2024:4504858. [PMID: 38566972 PMCID: PMC10985275 DOI: 10.1155/2024/4504858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disabling disease characterized by distressing obsessions and repetitive compulsions. The etiology of OCD is poorly known, and mouse modeling allows to clarify the genetic and neurochemical basis of this disorder and to investigate potential treatments. This study evaluates the impact of the 5-HT1B agonist RU24969 on the induction of OCD-like behaviours in female BALB/c mice (n = 30), distributed across five groups receiving varying doses of RU24969. Behavioural assessments, including marble test, tail suspension test, sucrose preference test, forced swim test, and nestlet shredding test, were conducted. Gene expression and protein quantitation of Gabra1 and serotonin transporter in mouse brain were also performed. Marble-burying behaviour increased significantly at high doses of RU24969 (15-20 mg/kg). The forced swimming test consistently showed elevated values at the same high concentrations, compared to the control. Altered reward-seeking behaviour was indicated by the sucrose preference test, notably at 15 and 20 mg/kg doses of RU24969. Nestlet shredding results did not show statistical significance among the tested animal groups. Gene expression analysis revealed reduced Gabra1 expression with increasing doses of RU, while serotonin transporter was not related to varying doses of RU24969. Western blotting corroborated these trends. The results underscore complex interactions between the serotonin system, GABAergic signaling, and OCD-relevant behaviours and suggest the use of intraperitoneal injection of 15 mg/kg of RU24969 to induce OCD-like behaviour in BALB/c mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Salloum
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mohamad Farran
- Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Houssam Shaib
- Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Abdo Jurjus
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Roni Sleiman
- Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mahmoud I. Khalil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
- Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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Li XL, Li F, Zhu XY, Wang XD, Kou ZZ, Liu SQ, Li H. Whole-brain mapping of monosynaptic afferent inputs to the CRH neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice. J Anat 2024; 244:527-536. [PMID: 38009263 PMCID: PMC10862190 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13981] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons are densely distributed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which plays a crucial role in integrating and processing emotional and cognitive inputs from other brain regions. Therefore, it is important to know the neural afferent patterns of mPFCCRH neurons, which are still unclear. Here, we utilized a rabies virus-based monosynaptic retrograde tracing system to map the presynaptic afferents of the mPFCCRH neurons throughout the entire brain. The results show that the mPFCCRH neurons receive inputs from three main groups of brain regions: (1) the cortex, primarily the orbital cortex, somatomotor areas, and anterior cingulate cortex; (2) the thalamus, primarily the anteromedial nucleus, mediodorsal thalamic nucleus, and central medial thalamic nucleus; and (3) other brain regions, primarily the basolateral amygdala, hippocampus, and dorsal raphe nucleus. Taken together, our results are valuable for further investigations into the roles of the mPFCCRH neurons in normal and neurological disease states. These investigations can shed light on various aspects such as cognitive processing, emotional modulation, motivation, sociability, and pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Lan Li
- Institute of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xin-Yi Zhu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Wang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Inner Mongolia Armed Police Corps Hospital, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhen-Zhen Kou
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shang-Qing Liu
- Institute of Basic Medicine and Forensic Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
- School of International Education and Cooperation, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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Fisher JL, Clark AD, Jones EF, Lasseigne BN. Sex-biased gene expression and gene-regulatory networks of sex-biased adverse event drug targets and drug metabolism genes. BMC Pharmacol Toxicol 2024; 25:5. [PMID: 38167211 PMCID: PMC10763002 DOI: 10.1186/s40360-023-00727-1] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous pharmacovigilance studies and a retroactive review of cancer clinical trial studies identified that women were more likely to experience drug adverse events (i.e., any unintended effects of medication), and men were more likely to experience adverse events that resulted in hospitalization or death. These sex-biased adverse events (SBAEs) are due to many factors not entirely understood, including differences in body mass, hormones, pharmacokinetics, and liver drug metabolism enzymes and transporters. METHODS We first identified drugs associated with SBAEs from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. Next, we evaluated sex-specific gene expression of the known drug targets and metabolism enzymes for those SBAE-associated drugs. We also constructed sex-specific tissue gene-regulatory networks to determine if these known drug targets and metabolism enzymes from the SBAE-associated drugs had sex-specific gene-regulatory network properties and predicted regulatory relationships. RESULTS We identified liver-specific gene-regulatory differences for drug metabolism genes between males and females, which could explain observed sex differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. In addition, we found that ~ 85% of SBAE-associated drug targets had sex-biased gene expression or were core genes of sex- and tissue-specific network communities, significantly higher than randomly selected drug targets. Lastly, we provide the sex-biased drug-adverse event pairs, drug targets, and drug metabolism enzymes as a resource for the research community. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we provide evidence that many SBAEs are associated with drug targets and drug metabolism genes that are differentially expressed and regulated between males and females. These SBAE-associated drug metabolism enzymes and drug targets may be useful for future studies seeking to explain or predict SBAEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Fisher
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Amanda D Clark
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Emma F Jones
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Brittany N Lasseigne
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Fisher JL, Clark AD, Jones EF, Lasseigne BN. Sex-biased gene expression and gene-regulatory networks of sex-biased adverse event drug targets and drug metabolism genes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.23.541950. [PMID: 37362157 PMCID: PMC10290285 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.23.541950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Background Previous pharmacovigilance studies and a retroactive review of cancer clinical trial studies identified that women were more likely to experience drug adverse events (i.e., any unintended effects of medication), and men were more likely to experience adverse events that resulted in hospitalization or death. These sex-biased adverse events (SBAEs) are due to many factors not entirely understood, including differences in body mass, hormones, pharmacokinetics, and liver drug metabolism enzymes and transporters. Methods We first identified drugs associated with SBAEs from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. Next, we evaluated sex-specific gene expression of the known drug targets and metabolism enzymes for those SBAE-associated drugs. We also constructed sex-specific tissue gene-regulatory networks to determine if these known drug targets and metabolism enzymes from the SBAE-associated drugs had sex-specific gene-regulatory network properties and predicted regulatory relationships. Results We identified liver-specific gene-regulatory differences for drug metabolism genes between males and females, which could explain observed sex differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. In addition, we found that ~85% of SBAE-associated drug targets had sex-biased gene expression or were core genes of sex- and tissue-specific network communities, significantly higher than randomly selected drug targets. Lastly, we provide the sex-biased drug-adverse event pairs, drug targets, and drug metabolism enzymes as a resource for the research community. Conclusions Overall, we provide evidence that many SBAEs are associated with drug targets and drug metabolism genes that are differentially expressed and regulated between males and females. These SBAE-associated drug metabolism enzymes and drug targets may be useful for future studies seeking to explain or predict SBAEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Fisher
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
| | - Amanda D. Clark
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
| | - Emma F. Jones
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
| | - Brittany N. Lasseigne
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
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Redina OE, Babenko VN, Smagin DA, Kovalenko IL, Galyamina AG, Efimov VM, Kudryavtseva NN. Effects of Positive Fighting Experience and Its Subsequent Deprivation on the Expression Profile of Mouse Hippocampal Genes Associated with Neurogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24033040. [PMID: 36769363 PMCID: PMC9918130 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24033040] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is known as the brain region implicated in visuospatial processes and processes associated with learning and short- and long-term memory. An important functional characteristic of the hippocampus is lifelong neurogenesis. A decrease or increase in adult hippocampal neurogenesis is associated with a wide range of neurological diseases. We have previously shown that in adult male mice with a chronic positive fighting experience in daily agonistic interactions, there is an increase in the proliferation of progenitor neurons and the production of young neurons in the dentate gyrus (in hippocampus), and these neurogenesis parameters remain modified during 2 weeks of deprivation of further fights. The aim of the present work was to identify hippocampal genes associated with neurogenesis and involved in the formation of behavioral features in mice with the chronic experience of wins in aggressive confrontations, as well as during the subsequent 2-week deprivation of agonistic interactions. Hippocampal gene expression profiles were compared among three groups of adult male mice: chronically winning for 20 days in the agonistic interactions, chronically victorious for 20 days followed by the 2-week deprivation of fights, and intact (control) mice. Neurogenesis-associated genes were identified whose transcription levels changed during the social confrontations and in the subsequent period of deprivation of fights. In the experimental males, some of these genes are associated with behavioral traits, including abnormal aggression-related behavior, an abnormal anxiety-related response, and others. Two genes encoding transcription factors (Nr1d1 and Fmr1) were likely to contribute the most to the between-group differences. It can be concluded that the chronic experience of wins in agonistic interactions alters hippocampal levels of transcription of multiple genes in adult male mice. The transcriptome changes get reversed only partially after the 2-week period of deprivation of fights. The identified differentially expressed genes associated with neurogenesis and involved in the control of a behavior/neurological phenotype can be used in further studies to identify targets for therapeutic correction of the neurological disturbances that develop in winners under the conditions of chronic social confrontations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga E. Redina
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Vladimir N. Babenko
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Dmitry A. Smagin
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Irina L. Kovalenko
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Anna G. Galyamina
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Vadim M. Efimov
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Natalia N. Kudryavtseva
- Federal Research Center, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Correspondence:
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