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Sun M, Brivio P, Shan L, Docq S, Heltzel LCMW, Smits CAJ, Middelman A, Vrooman R, Spoelder M, Verheij MMM, Buitelaar JK, Boillot M, Calabrese F, Homberg JR, Hanswijk SI. Offspring's own serotonin transporter genotype, independently from the maternal one, increases anxiety- and depression-like behavior and alters neuroplasticity markers in rats. J Affect Disord 2024; 350:89-101. [PMID: 38220097 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Developmental changes due to early life variations in the serotonin system affect stress-related behavior and neuroplasticity in adulthood. These outcomes can be caused both by offspring's own and maternal serotonergic genotype. We aimed to dissociate the contribution of the own genotype from the influences of mother genotype. METHODS Sixty-six male homozygous (5-HTT-/-) and heterozygous (5-HTT+/-) serotonin transporter knockout and wild-type rats from constant 5-HTT genotype mothers crossed with varying 5-HTT genotype fathers were subjected to tests assessing anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. Additionally, we measured plasma corticosterone levels and mRNA levels of BDNF, GABA system and HPA-axis components in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortex. Finally, we assessed the effect of paternal 5-HTT genotype on these measurements in 5-HTT+/- offspring receiving their knockout allele from their mother or father. RESULTS 5-HTT-/- offspring exhibited increased anxiety- and depression-like behavior in the elevated plus maze and sucrose preference test. Furthermore, Bdnf isoform VI expression was reduced in the prelimbic cortex. Bdnf isoform IV and GABA related gene expression was also altered but did not survive false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Finally, 5-HTT+/- offspring from 5-HTT-/- fathers displayed higher levels of anxiety- and depression-like behavior and changes in GABA, BDNF and HPA-axis related gene expression not surviving FDR correction. LIMITATIONS Only male offspring was tested. CONCLUSIONS Offspring's own 5-HTT genotype influences stress-related behaviors and Bdnf isoform VI expression, independently of maternal 5-HTT genotype. Paternal 5-HTT genotype separately influenced these outcomes. These findings advance our understanding of the 5-HTT genotype dependent susceptibility to stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menghan Sun
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
| | - Paola Brivio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Ling Shan
- Department Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sylvia Docq
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
| | - Lisa C M W Heltzel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
| | - Celine A J Smits
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
| | - Anthonieke Middelman
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
| | - Roel Vrooman
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
| | - Marcia Spoelder
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands; Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
| | - Michel M M Verheij
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
| | - Jan K Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands; Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Morgane Boillot
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands.
| | - Sabrina I Hanswijk
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
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Sbrini G, Hanswijk SI, Brivio P, Middelman A, Bader M, Fumagalli F, Alenina N, Homberg JR, Calabrese F. Peripheral Serotonin Deficiency Affects Anxiety-like Behavior and the Molecular Response to an Acute Challenge in Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094941. [PMID: 35563331 PMCID: PMC9105435 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin is synthetized through the action of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) enzymes. While the TPH2 isoform is responsible for the production of serotonin in the brain, TPH1 is expressed in peripheral organs. Interestingly, despite its peripheral localization, alterations of the gene coding for TPH1 have been related to stress sensitivity and an increased susceptibility for psychiatric pathologies. On these bases, we took advantage of newly generated TPH1-/- rats, and we evaluated the impact of the lack of peripheral serotonin on the behavior and expression of brain plasticity-related genes under basal conditions and in response to stress. At a behavioral level, TPH1-/- rats displayed reduced anxiety-like behavior. Moreover, we found that neuronal activation, quantified by the expression of Bdnf and the immediate early gene Arc and transcription of glucocorticoid responsive genes after 1 h of acute restraint stress, was blunted in TPH1-/- rats in comparison to TPH1+/+ animals. Overall, we provided evidence for the influence of peripheral serotonin levels in modulating brain functions under basal and dynamic situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Sbrini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.S.); (P.B.); (F.F.)
| | - Sabrina I. Hanswijk
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (S.I.H.); (A.M.); (J.R.H.)
| | - Paola Brivio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.S.); (P.B.); (F.F.)
| | - Anthonieke Middelman
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (S.I.H.); (A.M.); (J.R.H.)
| | - Michael Bader
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), 13125 Berlin, Germany; (M.B.); (N.A.)
- Charite-University Medicine, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lubeck, Germany
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.S.); (P.B.); (F.F.)
| | - Natalia Alenina
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), 13125 Berlin, Germany; (M.B.); (N.A.)
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith R. Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (S.I.H.); (A.M.); (J.R.H.)
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (G.S.); (P.B.); (F.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-02-50318277
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Hanswijk SI, Spoelder M, Shan L, Verheij MMM, Muilwijk OG, Li W, Liu C, Kolk SM, Homberg JR. Gestational Factors throughout Fetal Neurodevelopment: The Serotonin Link. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E5850. [PMID: 32824000 PMCID: PMC7461571 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) is a critical player in brain development and neuropsychiatric disorders. Fetal 5-HT levels can be influenced by several gestational factors, such as maternal genotype, diet, stress, medication, and immune activation. In this review, addressing both human and animal studies, we discuss how these gestational factors affect placental and fetal brain 5-HT levels, leading to changes in brain structure and function and behavior. We conclude that gestational factors are able to interact and thereby amplify or counteract each other's impact on the fetal 5-HT-ergic system. We, therefore, argue that beyond the understanding of how single gestational factors affect 5-HT-ergic brain development and behavior in offspring, it is critical to elucidate the consequences of interacting factors. Moreover, we describe how each gestational factor is able to alter the 5-HT-ergic influence on the thalamocortical- and prefrontal-limbic circuitry and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical-axis. These alterations have been associated with risks to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, depression, and/or anxiety. Consequently, the manipulation of gestational factors may be used to combat pregnancy-related risks for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina I. Hanswijk
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (S.I.H.); (M.S.); (M.M.M.V.); (O.G.M.)
| | - Marcia Spoelder
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (S.I.H.); (M.S.); (M.M.M.V.); (O.G.M.)
| | - Ling Shan
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Michel M. M. Verheij
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (S.I.H.); (M.S.); (M.M.M.V.); (O.G.M.)
| | - Otto G. Muilwijk
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (S.I.H.); (M.S.); (M.M.M.V.); (O.G.M.)
| | - Weizhuo Li
- College of Medical Laboratory, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China; (W.L.); (C.L.)
| | - Chunqing Liu
- College of Medical Laboratory, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China; (W.L.); (C.L.)
| | - Sharon M. Kolk
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
| | - Judith R. Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (S.I.H.); (M.S.); (M.M.M.V.); (O.G.M.)
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