1
|
Vega-Vásquez T, Langgartner D, Wang JY, Reber SO, Picard M, Basualto-Alarcón C. Mitochondrial morphology in the mouse adrenal cortex: Influence of chronic psychosocial stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 160:106683. [PMID: 38086320 PMCID: PMC10872515 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106683] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/02/2024]
Abstract
Mitochondria within the adrenal cortex play a key role in synthesizing steroid hormones. The adrenal cortex is organized in three functionally specialized zones (glomerulosa, fasciculata, and reticularis) that produce different classes of steroid hormones in response to various stimuli, including psychosocial stress. Given that the functions and morphology of mitochondria are dynamically related and respond to stress, we applied transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to examine potential differences in mitochondrial morphology under basal and chronic psychosocial stress conditions. We used the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm, a murine model of chronic psychosocial stress. Our findings quantitatively define how mitochondrial morphology differs among each of the three adrenal cortex zones under basal conditions, and show that chronic psychosocial stress mainly affected mitochondria in the zona glomerulosa, shifting their morphology towards the more typical glucocorticoid-producing zona fasciculata mitochondrial phenotype. Analysis of adrenocortical lipid droplets that provide cholesterol for steroidogenesis showed that chronic psychosocial stress altered lipid droplet diameter, without affecting droplet number or inter-organellar mitochondria-lipid droplet interactions. Together, our findings support the hypothesis that each adrenal cortex layer is characterized by morphologically distinct mitochondria and that this adrenal zone-specific mitochondrial morphology is sensitive to environmental stimuli, including chronic psychosocial stressors. Further research is needed to define the role of these stress-induced changes in mitochondrial morphology, particularly in the zona glomerulosa, on stress resilience and related behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Vega-Vásquez
- Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Metabolism, Health Sciences Department, University of Aysén, Coyhaique, Chile
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jennifer Y Wang
- School of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Martin Picard
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Behavioral Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA; Department of Neurology, H. Houston Merritt Center, Columbia University Translational Neuroscience Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
| | - Carla Basualto-Alarcón
- Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Metabolism, Health Sciences Department, University of Aysén, Coyhaique, Chile; Anatomy and Legal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Desmond LW, Holbrook EM, Wright CTO, Zambrano CA, Stamper CE, Bohr AD, Frank MG, Podell BK, Moreno JA, MacDonald AS, Reber SO, Hernández-Pando R, Lowry CA. Effects of Mycobacterium vaccae NCTC 11659 and Lipopolysaccharide Challenge on Polarization of Murine BV-2 Microglial Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:474. [PMID: 38203645 PMCID: PMC10779110 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010474] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that the in vivo administration of soil-derived bacteria with anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties, such as Mycobacterium vaccae NCTC 11659, can prevent a stress-induced shift toward an inflammatory M1 microglial immunophenotype and microglial priming in the central nervous system (CNS). It remains unclear whether M. vaccae NCTC 11659 can act directly on microglia to mediate these effects. This study was designed to determine the effects of M. vaccae NCTC 11659 on the polarization of naïve BV-2 cells, a murine microglial cell line, and BV-2 cells subsequently challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Briefly, murine BV-2 cells were exposed to 100 µg/mL whole-cell, heat-killed M. vaccae NCTC 11659 or sterile borate-buffered saline (BBS) vehicle, followed, 24 h later, by exposure to 0.250 µg/mL LPS (Escherichia coli 0111: B4; n = 3) in cell culture media vehicle (CMV) or a CMV control condition. Twenty-four hours after the LPS or CMV challenge, cells were harvested to isolate total RNA. An analysis using the NanoString platform revealed that, by itself, M. vaccae NCTC 11659 had an "adjuvant-like" effect, while exposure to LPS increased the expression of mRNAs encoding proinflammatory cytokines, chemokine ligands, the C3 component of complement, and components of inflammasome signaling such as Nlrp3. Among LPS-challenged cells, M. vaccae NCTC 11659 had limited effects on differential gene expression using a threshold of 1.5-fold change. A subset of genes was assessed using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR), including Arg1, Ccl2, Il1b, Il6, Nlrp3, and Tnf. Based on the analysis using real-time RT-PCR, M. vaccae NCTC 11659 by itself again induced "adjuvant-like" effects, increasing the expression of Il1b, Il6, and Tnf while decreasing the expression of Arg1. LPS by itself increased the expression of Ccl2, Il1b, Il6, Nlrp3, and Tnf while decreasing the expression of Arg1. Among LPS-challenged cells, M. vaccae NCTC 11659 enhanced LPS-induced increases in the expression of Nlrp3 and Tnf, consistent with microglial priming. In contrast, among LPS-challenged cells, although M. vaccae NCTC 11659 did not fully prevent the effects of LPS relative to vehicle-treated control conditions, it increased Arg1 mRNA expression, suggesting that M. vaccae NCTC 11659 induces an atypical microglial phenotype. Thus, M. vaccae NCTC 11659 acutely (within 48 h) induced immune-activating and microglial-priming effects when applied directly to murine BV-2 microglial cells, in contrast to its long-term anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects observed on the CNS when whole-cell, heat-killed preparations of M. vaccae NCTC 11659 were given peripherally in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke W. Desmond
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; (L.W.D.); (E.M.H.); (C.T.O.W.); (C.A.Z.); (C.E.S.); (A.D.B.); (M.G.F.)
| | - Evan M. Holbrook
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; (L.W.D.); (E.M.H.); (C.T.O.W.); (C.A.Z.); (C.E.S.); (A.D.B.); (M.G.F.)
| | - Caelan T. O. Wright
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; (L.W.D.); (E.M.H.); (C.T.O.W.); (C.A.Z.); (C.E.S.); (A.D.B.); (M.G.F.)
| | - Cristian A. Zambrano
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; (L.W.D.); (E.M.H.); (C.T.O.W.); (C.A.Z.); (C.E.S.); (A.D.B.); (M.G.F.)
| | - Christopher E. Stamper
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; (L.W.D.); (E.M.H.); (C.T.O.W.); (C.A.Z.); (C.E.S.); (A.D.B.); (M.G.F.)
| | - Adam D. Bohr
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; (L.W.D.); (E.M.H.); (C.T.O.W.); (C.A.Z.); (C.E.S.); (A.D.B.); (M.G.F.)
| | - Matthew G. Frank
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; (L.W.D.); (E.M.H.); (C.T.O.W.); (C.A.Z.); (C.E.S.); (A.D.B.); (M.G.F.)
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Brendan K. Podell
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;
| | - Julie A. Moreno
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
- Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Andrew S. MacDonald
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9NT, UK;
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany;
| | - Rogelio Hernández-Pando
- Sección de Patología Experimental, Departamento de Patología, Instituto Nacional De Ciencias Médicas Y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico;
| | - Christopher A. Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; (L.W.D.); (E.M.H.); (C.T.O.W.); (C.A.Z.); (C.E.S.); (A.D.B.); (M.G.F.)
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Winter J, Meyer M, Berger I, Royer M, Bianchi M, Kuffner K, Peters S, Stang S, Langgartner D, Hartmann F, Schmidtner AK, Reber SO, Bosch OJ, Bludau A, Slattery DA, van den Burg EH, Jurek B, Neumann ID. Chronic oxytocin-driven alternative splicing of Crfr2α induces anxiety. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4742-4755. [PMID: 34035479 PMCID: PMC10914602 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01141-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) has generated considerable interest as potential treatment for psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and autism spectrum disorders. However, the behavioral and molecular consequences associated with chronic OXT treatment and chronic receptor (OXTR) activation have scarcely been studied, despite the potential therapeutic long-term use of intranasal OXT. Here, we reveal that chronic OXT treatment over two weeks increased anxiety-like behavior in rats, with higher sensitivity in females, contrasting the well-known anxiolytic effect of acute OXT. The increase in anxiety was transient and waned 5 days after the infusion has ended. The behavioral effects of chronic OXT were paralleled by activation of an intracellular signaling pathway, which ultimately led to alternative splicing of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 2α (Crfr2α), an important modulator of anxiety. In detail, chronic OXT shifted the splicing ratio from the anxiolytic membrane-bound (mCRFR2α) form of CRFR2α towards the soluble CRFR2α (sCRFR2α) form. Experimental induction of alternative splicing mimicked the anxiogenic effects of chronic OXT, while sCRFR2α-knock down reduced anxiety-related behavior of male rats. Furthermore, chronic OXT treatment triggered the release of sCRFR2α into the cerebrospinal fluid with sCRFR2α levels positively correlating with anxiety-like behavior. In summary, we revealed that the shifted splicing ratio towards expression of the anxiogenic sCRFR2α underlies the adverse effects of chronic OXT treatment on anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Winter
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Magdalena Meyer
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ilona Berger
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Royer
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marta Bianchi
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Kuffner
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Peters
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Simone Stang
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Finn Hartmann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anna K Schmidtner
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Oliver J Bosch
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anna Bludau
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - David A Slattery
- Laboratory of Translational Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Erwin H van den Burg
- Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences, University Hospital Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Jurek
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Institute for Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Reiners JC, Leopold L, Hallebach V, Sinske D, Meier P, Amoroso M, Langgartner D, Reber SO, Knöll B. Acute stress modulates the outcome of traumatic brain injury-associated gene expression and behavioral responses. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23218. [PMID: 37779443 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301035r] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Psychological stress and traumatic brain injury (TBI) result in long-lasting emotional and behavioral impairments in patients. So far, the interaction of psychological stress with TBI not only in the brain but also in peripheral organs is poorly understood. Herein, the impact of acute stress (AS) occurring immediately before TBI is investigated. For this, a mouse model of restraint stress and TBI was employed, and their influence on behavior and gene expression in brain regions, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and peripheral organs was analyzed. Results demonstrate that, compared to single AS or TBI exposure, mice treated with AS prior to TBI showed sex-specific alterations in body weight, memory function, and locomotion. The induction of immediate early genes (IEGs, e.g., c-Fos) by TBI was modulated by previous AS in several brain regions. Furthermore, IEG upregulation along the HPA axis (e.g., pituitary, adrenal glands) and other peripheral organs (e.g., heart) was modulated by AS-TBI interaction. Proteomics of plasma samples revealed proteins potentially mediating this interaction. Finally, the deletion of Atf3 diminished the TBI-induced induction of IEGs in peripheral organs but left them largely unaltered in the brain. In summary, AS immediately before brain injury affects the brain and, to a strong degree, also responses in peripheral organs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Leopold
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Vera Hallebach
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniela Sinske
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Philip Meier
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mattia Amoroso
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Bernd Knöll
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mazzari G, Lowry CA, Langgartner D, Reber SO. Subcutaneous Mycobacterium vaccae ameliorates the effects of early life adversity alone or in combination with chronic stress during adulthood in male and female mice. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 26:100568. [PMID: 37727147 PMCID: PMC10506060 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100568] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic psychosocial stress is a burden of modern society and poses a clear risk factor for a plethora of somatic and affective disorders, of which most are associated with an activated immune status and chronic low-grade inflammation. Preclinical and clinical studies further suggest that a failure in immunoregulation promotes an over-reaction of the inflammatory stress response and, thus, predisposes an individual to the development of stress-related disorders. Therefore, all genetic (i.e., sex) and environmental (i.e., early life adversity; ELA) factors facilitating an adult's inflammatory stress response are likely to increase their stress vulnerability. In the present study we investigated whether repeated subcutaneous (s.c.) administrations with a heat-killed preparation of Mycobacterium vaccae (M. vaccae; National Collection of Type Cultures (NCTC) 11659), an abundant soil saprophyte with immunoregulatory properties, are protective against negative behavioral, immunological and physiological consequences of ELA alone or of ELA followed by chronic psychosocial stress during adulthood (CAS) in male and female mice. ELA was induced by the maternal separation (MS) paradigm, CAS was induced by 19 days of chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) in males and by a 7-week exposure to the social instability paradigm (SIP) in females. Our data indicate that ELA effects in both sexes, although relatively mild, were to a great extent prevented by subsequent s.c. M. vaccae administrations. Moreover, although the use of different paradigms for males and females impedes a direct comparison, male mice seemed to be more susceptible to CAS than females, with only females benefitting slightly from the stress protective effects of s.c. M. vaccae administrations when given prior to CAS alone. Finally, our data support the hypothesis that female mice are more vulnerable to the additive effects of ELA and CAS than male mice and that s.c. M. vaccae administrations subsequent to ELA but prior to CAS are protective in both sexes. Taken together and considering the limitation that CAS in males and females was induced by different paradigms, our findings are consistent with the hypotheses that murine stress vulnerability during different phases of life is strongly sex dependent and that developing immunoregulatory approaches, such as repeated s.c. administrations with immunoregulatory microorganisms, have potential for prevention/treatment of stress-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Mazzari
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christopher A. Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), The Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Langgartner D, Winkler R, Brunner-Weisser J, Rohleder N, Jarczok MN, Gündel H, Weimer K, Reber SO. COVID-19 vaccination exacerbates ex vivo IL-6 release from isolated PBMCs. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9496. [PMID: 37308487 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35731-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Ex vivo culturing of isolated PBMCs from individuals vaccinated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine BNT162b1 revealed a pronounced T cell response in the presence of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein. The latter was 10-fold more pronounced than the ex vivo response of PBMCs from the same individuals to other common pathogen T cell epitope pools, suggesting COVID-19 vaccination to induce RBD-specific T cell responses and not to facilitate T cell (re)activity in general. In the current study we investigated whether COVID-19 vaccination long-lastingly affects plasma interleukin (IL)-6 concentrations, complete blood counts, ex vivo IL-6 and IL-10 secretion of PBMCs cultured under basal conditions or in the presence of concanavalin (Con) A and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), salivary cortisol and α-amylase, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) as well as mental and physical health status. The study was initially designed to investigate whether the presence vs. absence of own pets during urban upbringing has protective effects against psychosocial stress-induced immune activation during adulthood. However, as COVID-19 vaccines were approved while the study was ongoing and as, therefore, both vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals have been recruited, we were able to stratify our data set with respect to the COVID-19 vaccination status and to assess the long-lasting effects of COVID-19 vaccination on physiological immunological, cardiovascular and psychosomatic health parameters. This data is presented in the current study. We show that isolated PBMCs from individuals vaccinated against COVID-19 show a ~ 600-fold increase in basal and a ~ 6000-fold increase in ConA-induced proinflammatory IL-6 secretion, and a ~ 2-fold increase in basal and ConA-induced antiinflammatory IL-10 secretion, both in comparison with non-vaccinated individuals. In contrast, LPS-induced ex vivo IL-6 and IL-10 secretions were not affected by vaccination status, as were plasma IL-6 concentrations, complete blood counts, salivary cortisol and α-amylase, cardiovascular measures and psychosomatic health. In summary, our findings are of relevance for many clinical studies ran before/during the pandemic, clearly indicating that consideration of participants' vaccination status is critical, at least when assessing ex vivo PBMC functionality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Raphael Winkler
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jonas Brunner-Weisser
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rohleder
- Department of Psychology, Chair of Health Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marc N Jarczok
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Gündel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Katja Weimer
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Tschaffon-Müller MEA, Kempter E, Steppe L, Kupfer S, Kuhn MR, Gebhard F, Pankratz C, Kalbitz M, Schütze K, Gündel H, Kaleck N, Strauß G, Vacher J, Ichinose H, Weimer K, Ignatius A, Haffner-Luntzer M, Reber SO. Neutrophil-derived catecholamines mediate negative stress effects on bone. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3262. [PMID: 37277336 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38616-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mental traumatization is associated with long-bone growth retardation, osteoporosis and increased fracture risk. We revealed earlier that mental trauma disturbs cartilage-to-bone transition during bone growth and repair in mice. Trauma increased tyrosine hydroxylase-expressing neutrophils in bone marrow and fracture callus. Here we show that tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the fracture hematoma of patients correlates positively with acknowledged stress, depression, and pain scores as well as individual ratings of healing-impairment and pain-perception post-fracture. Moreover, mice lacking tyrosine hydroxylase in myeloid cells are protected from chronic psychosocial stress-induced disturbance of bone growth and healing. Chondrocyte-specific β2-adrenoceptor-deficient mice are also protected from stress-induced bone growth retardation. In summary, our preclinical data identify locally secreted catecholamines in concert with β2-adrenoceptor signalling in chondrocytes as mediators of negative stress effects on bone growth and repair. Given our clinical data, these mechanistic insights seem to be of strong translational relevance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Elena Kempter
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lena Steppe
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandra Kupfer
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Melanie R Kuhn
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Florian Gebhard
- Department of Orthopedic Trauma, Hand-, Plastic- and Reconstructive Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Carlos Pankratz
- Department of Orthopedic Trauma, Hand-, Plastic- and Reconstructive Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Miriam Kalbitz
- Department of Orthopedic Trauma, Hand-, Plastic- and Reconstructive Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Konrad Schütze
- Department of Orthopedic Trauma, Hand-, Plastic- and Reconstructive Surgery, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Gündel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Nele Kaleck
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Gudrun Strauß
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jean Vacher
- Department of Medicine, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Institut de Recherche Cliniques de Montréal, Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, H2W 1R7, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Hiroshi Ichinose
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Katja Weimer
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Anita Ignatius
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Melanie Haffner-Luntzer
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Langgartner D, Koenen M, Kupfer S, Glogger L, Kurz L, Perez-Rivas LG, Theodoropoulou M, Noll-Hussong M, Vettorazzi S, Tuckermann J, Reber SO. Intact GR dimerization is critical for restraining plasma ACTH levels during chronic psychosocial stress. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 24:100541. [PMID: 37215522 PMCID: PMC10196852 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100541] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Male C57BL/6N mice exposed to the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC; 19 days) paradigm, a preclinically validated model of chronic psychosocial stress, are characterized by unaffected basal morning plasma corticosterone (CORT) concentrations despite adrenal and pituitary hyperplasia and increased adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) plasma concentrations, compared with single-housed control (SHC) mice. However, as CSC mice are still able to show an increased CORT secretion towards novel heterotypic stressors, these effects might reflect an adaptation rather than a functional breakdown of general hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functionality. In the present study we used male mice of a genetically modified mouse line, to investigate whether genetically-driven ACTH overexpression compromises adaptational processes occurring at the level of the adrenals during CSC exposure. Experimental mice carried a point mutation in the DNA binding domain of the glucocorticoid (GC) receptor (GR), attenuating dimerization of GR (GRdim), resulting in a congenially compromised negative feedback inhibition at the level of the pituitary. In line with previous studies, CSC mice in both the wild type (WT; GR+/+) and GRdim group developed adrenal enlargement. Moreover, compared with respective SHC and WT mice, CSC GRdim mice show increased basal morning plasma ACTH and CORT concentrations. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis revealed neither a genotype effect, nor a CSC effect on pituitary mRNA expression of the ACTH precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Finally, CSC increased anxiety-related behavior, active coping and splenocyte in vitro (re)activity in both WT and GRdim mice, while a CSC-induced increase in adrenal lipid vesicles and splenic GC resistance was detectable only in WT mice. Of note, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated splenocytes of GRdim mice were resistant to the inhibitory effects of CORT. Together our findings support the hypothesis that pituitary ACTH protein concentration is negatively controlled by GR dimerization under conditions of chronic psychosocial stress, while POMC gene transcription is not dependent on intact GR dimerization under both basal and chronic stress conditions. Finally, our data suggest that adrenal adaptations during chronic psychosocial stress (i.e., ACTH desensitization), aiming at the prevention of prolonged hypercorticism, are protective only to a certain threshold of plasma ACTH levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mascha Koenen
- Institute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandra Kupfer
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lisa Glogger
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lisa Kurz
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Luis Gustavo Perez-Rivas
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic IV, LMU Clinic, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Marily Theodoropoulou
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic IV, LMU Clinic, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Noll-Hussong
- Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Saarland University Medical Centre, Homburg, Germany
| | - Sabine Vettorazzi
- Institute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Tuckermann
- Institute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Holbrook EM, Zambrano CA, Wright CTO, Dubé EM, Stewart JR, Sanders WJ, Frank MG, MacDonald AS, Reber SO, Lowry CA. Mycobacterium vaccae NCTC 11659, a Soil-Derived Bacterium with Stress Resilience Properties, Modulates the Proinflammatory Effects of LPS in Macrophages. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065176. [PMID: 36982250 PMCID: PMC10049321 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory conditions, including allergic asthma and conditions in which chronic low-grade inflammation is a risk factor, such as stress-related psychiatric disorders, are prevalent and are a significant cause of disability worldwide. Novel approaches for the prevention and treatment of these disorders are needed. One approach is the use of immunoregulatory microorganisms, such as Mycobacterium vaccae NCTC 11659, which have anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, and stress-resilience properties. However, little is known about how M. vaccae NCTC 11659 affects specific immune cell targets, including monocytes, which can traffic to peripheral organs and the central nervous system and differentiate into monocyte-derived macrophages that, in turn, can drive inflammation and neuroinflammation. In this study, we investigated the effects of M. vaccae NCTC 11659 and subsequent lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge on gene expression in human monocyte-derived macrophages. THP-1 monocytes were differentiated into macrophages, exposed to M. vaccae NCTC 11659 (0, 10, 30, 100, 300 µg/mL), then, 24 h later, challenged with LPS (0, 0.5, 2.5, 250 ng/mL), and assessed for gene expression 24 h following challenge with LPS. Exposure to M. vaccae NCTC 11659 prior to challenge with higher concentrations of LPS (250 ng/mL) polarized human monocyte-derived macrophages with decreased IL12A, IL12B, and IL23A expression relative to IL10 and TGFB1 mRNA expression. These data identify human monocyte-derived macrophages as a direct target of M. vaccae NCTC 11659 and support the development of M. vaccae NCTC 11659 as a potential intervention to prevent stress-induced inflammation and neuroinflammation implicated in the etiology and pathophysiology of inflammatory conditions and stress-related psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evan M. Holbrook
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Cristian A. Zambrano
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Caelan T. O. Wright
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Dubé
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Jessica R. Stewart
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - William J. Sanders
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Matthew G. Frank
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Andrew S. MacDonald
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9NT, UK
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Christopher A. Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), The Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Senior Fellow, inVIVO Planetary Health, of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-303-492-6029; Fax: +1-303-492-0811
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Langgartner D, Amoroso M, Kempter E, Kustermann M, Scheurer J, Lowry CA, Strauß G, Reber SO. Mycobacterium vaccae protects against glucocorticoid resistance resulting from combined physical and psychosocial trauma in mice. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 109:221-234. [PMID: 36736929 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.01.018] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress-related somatic and psychiatric disorders are often associated with a decline in regulatory T cell (Treg) counts and chronic low-grade inflammation. Recent preclinical evidence suggests that the latter is at least partly mediated by stress-induced upregulation of toll-like receptor (TLR)2 in newly generated neutrophils and polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs), as well as glucocorticoid (GC) resistance in predominantly PMN-MDSCs following stress-induced upregulation of TLR4 expression. Here we show in mice exposed to the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm that repeated intragastric (i.g.) administrations of a heat-killed preparation of Mycobacterium vaccae NCTC 11659, a saprophytic microorganism with immunoregulatory properties, protected against the stress-induced reduction in systemic Tregs, increase in basal and LPS-induced in vitro splenocyte viability, as well as splenic in vitro GC resistance. Our findings further support the hypothesis that i.g. M. vaccae protects against CSC-associated splenic GC resistance via directly affecting the myeloid compartment, thereby preventing the CSC-induced upregulation of TLR4 in newly generated PMN-MDSCs. In contrast, the protective effects of i.g. M. vaccae on the CSC-induced upregulation of TLR2 in neutrophils and the subsequent increase in basal and LPS-induced in vitro splenocyte viability seems to be indirectly mediated via the Treg compartment. These data highlight the potential for use of oral administration of M. vaccae NCTC 11659 to prevent stress-induced exaggeration of inflammation, a risk factor for development of stress-related psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mattia Amoroso
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Elena Kempter
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Monika Kustermann
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jasmin Scheurer
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), The Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO 80045, USA; VIVO Planetary Health, of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), West NY, NJ 07093, USA
| | - Gudrun Strauß
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Kempter E, Amoroso M, Kupfer S, Lupu L, Kustermann M, Scheurer J, Baumann B, Wirth T, Gündel H, Straub RH, Strauß G, Huber-Lang M, Langgartner D, Reber SO. The PMN-MDSC - A key player in glucocorticoid resistance following combined physical and psychosocial trauma. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 108:148-161. [PMID: 36427809 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress-associated somatic and psychiatric disorders are often linked to non-resolving low-grade inflammation, which is promoted at least in part by glucocorticoid (GC) resistance of distinct immune cell subpopulations. While the monocyte/macrophage compartment was in the focus of many clinical and preclinical studies, the role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in stress-associated pathologies and GC resistance is less understood. As GC resistance is a clear risk factor for posttraumatic complications in patients on intensive care, the exact interplay of physical and psychosocial traumatization in the development of GC resistance needs to be further clarified. In the current study we employ the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm, a well-characterized mouse model of chronic psychosocial stress, to study the role of myeloid cells, in particular of MDSCs, in innate immune activation and GC resistance following combined psychosocial and physical (e.g., bite wounds) trauma. Our findings support the hypothesis that stress-induced neutrophils, polymorphonuclear (PMN)-MDSCs and monocytes/monocyte-like (MO)-MDSCs get primed and activated locally in the bone marrow as determined by toll-like receptor (TLR)2 upregulation and increased basal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced in vitro cell viability. These primed and activated myeloid cells emigrate into the peripheral circulation and subsequently, if CSC is accompanied by significant bite wounding, accumulate in the spleen. Here, PMN-MDSCs and monocytes/MO-MDSCs upregulate TLR4 expression, which exclusively in PMN-MDSCs promotes NF-κB hyperactivation upon LPS-stimulation, thereby exceeding the anti-inflammatory capacities of GCs and resulting in GC resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Kempter
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mattia Amoroso
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandra Kupfer
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ludmila Lupu
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Monika Kustermann
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jasmin Scheurer
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Bernd Baumann
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Wirth
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Gündel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rainer H Straub
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Neuroendocrine Immunology, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gudrun Strauß
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Balint EM, Daniele V, Langgartner D, Reber SO, Rothermund E, Gündel H, Von Wietersheim J, Buckley T, Jarczok MN. Heart rate variability predicts outcome of short-term psychotherapy at the workplace. Psychophysiology 2022; 60:e14150. [PMID: 35867961 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The bio-psycho-social model highlights intra-individual and inter-individual interactions, including psychotherapy. The processing of these interactions within a person takes place, among others, in the central autonomic network (CAN). The CAN's autonomic output to the periphery can be indexed by heart rate variability (HRV), representing individual adaptive capacity. Further, the CAN influences the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis with its product cortisol. The aim consisted in investigating HRV and cortisol as well as their relation to symptom course in response to short-term psychotherapy. A single-arm, uncontrolled, explorative study was conducted at an outpatient psychotherapeutic consultation in the workplace offered to employees with mental or psychosomatic complaints. Questionnaires included symptoms of depression, irritation and functional impairment. Circadian profile of HRV and salivary cortisol concentrations collected pre and post short-term psychotherapeutic intervention (4-12 sessions) were assessed. Multilevel-linear mixed regressions were calculated. Out of 29 participants (mean age 42; 72% female), 24% were on sick leave from work. Cortisol concentrations were neither affected by intervention nor by symptom course. The proportion of individuals showing a vagally mediated HRV in the range of the lowest quartile assessed for age- and sex-matched healthy controls was reduced at follow-up (pre 34%, post 22%; p = .017). Higher vagally mediated HRV at baseline predicted lower symptom burden at follow-up. Thus, the results support the assumption that HRV reflects the capability of an organism to adapt and recover. Patients with reduced HRV might need additional psychotherapeutic sessions to achieve the same symptom improvements than patients with retained HRV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Maria Balint
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany.,Privatklinik Meiringen, Meiringen, Switzerland
| | - Viktorija Daniele
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Eva Rothermund
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Gündel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jörn Von Wietersheim
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Buckley
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marc N Jarczok
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Tschaffon MEA, Reber SO, Schoppa A, Nandi S, Cirstea IC, Aszodi A, Ignatius A, Haffner-Luntzer M. A novel in vitro assay to study chondrocyte-to-osteoblast transdifferentiation. Endocrine 2022; 75:266-275. [PMID: 34529238 PMCID: PMC8763722 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-021-02853-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Endochondral ossification, which involves transdifferentiation of chondrocytes into osteoblasts, is an important process involved in the development and postnatal growth of most vertebrate bones as well as in bone fracture healing. To study the basic molecular mechanisms of this process, a robust and easy-to-use in vitro model is desirable. Therefore, we aimed to develop a standardized in vitro assay for the transdifferentiation of chondrogenic cells towards the osteogenic lineage. METHODS Murine chondrogenic ATDC5 cells were differentiated into the chondrogenic lineage for seven days and subsequently differentiated towards the osteogenic direction. Gene expression analysis of pluripotency, as well as chondrogenic and osteogenic markers, cell-matrix staining, and immunofluorescent staining, were performed to assess the differentiation. In addition, the effects of Wnt3a and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) on the transdifferentiation were tested by their addition to the osteogenic differentiation medium. RESULTS Following osteogenic differentiation, chondrogenically pe-differentiated cells displayed the expression of pluripotency and osteogenic marker genes as well as alkaline phosphatase activity and a mineralized matrix. Co-expression of Col2a1 and Col1a1 after one day of osteogenic differentiation indicated that osteogenic cells had differentiated from chondrogenic cells. Wnt3a increased and LPS decreased transdifferentiation towards the osteogenic lineage. CONCLUSION We successfully established a rapid, standardized in vitro assay for the transdifferentiation of chondrogenic cells into osteogenic cells, which is suitable for testing the effects of different compounds on this cellular process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miriam E A Tschaffon
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Astrid Schoppa
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sayantan Nandi
- Institute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ion C Cirstea
- Institute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Attila Aszodi
- Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Regenerative Medicine, Clinic for General, Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Klinikum der Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Anita Ignatius
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Melanie Haffner-Luntzer
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Kuhn MR, Haffner-Luntzer M, Kempter E, Reber SO, Ichinose H, Vacher J, Ignatius A, Tschaffon-Müller MEA. Myeloid cell-derived catecholamines influence bone turnover and regeneration in mice. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:997745. [PMID: 36187089 PMCID: PMC9520980 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.997745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Catecholamine signaling is known to influence bone tissue as reuptake of norepinephrine released from sympathetic nerves into bone cells declines with age leading to osteoporosis. Further, β-adrenoceptor-blockers like propranolol provoke osteoprotective effects in osteoporotic patients. However, besides systemic adrenal and sympathetic catecholamine production, it is also known that myeloid cells can synthesize catecholamines, especially under inflammatory conditions. To investigate the effects of catecholamines produced by CD11b+ myeloid cells on bone turnover and regeneration, a mouse line with specific knockout of tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme of catecholamine synthesis, in CD11b+ myeloid cells (THflox/flox/CD11b-Cre+, referred to as THCD11b-Cre) was generated. For bone phenotyping, male mice were sacrificed at eight and twelve weeks of age and harvested bones were subjected to bone length measurement, micro-computed tomography, fluorescence-activated cell sorting of the bone marrow, gene expression analysis, histology and immunohistochemistry. Support for an age-dependent influence of myeloid cell-derived catecholamines on bone homeostasis is provided by the fact that twelve-week-old, but not eight-week-old THCD11b-Cre mice, developed an osteopenic phenotype and showed increased numbers of neutrophils and T lymphocytes in the bone marrow, while CCL2, IL-6, IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA expression was reduced in sorted myeloid bone marrow cells. To investigate the influence of myeloid cell-derived catecholamines on fracture healing, mice received a diaphyseal femur osteotomy. Three days post-fracture, immunohistochemistry revealed an increased number of macrophages, neutrophils and cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the fracture hematoma of THCD11b-Cre mice. Micro-computed tomography on day 21 showed a decreased tissue mineral density, a reduced bone volume and less trabeculae in the fracture callus indicating delayed fracture healing, probably due to the increased presence of inflammatory cells in THCD11b-Cre mice. This indicates a crucial role of myeloid cell-derived catecholamines in immune cell-bone cell crosstalk and during fracture healing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie R. Kuhn
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Melanie Haffner-Luntzer
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- *Correspondence: Melanie Haffner-Luntzer, ; Miriam E. A. Tschaffon-Müller,
| | - Elena Kempter
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hiroshi Ichinose
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Jean Vacher
- Department of Medicine, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Anita Ignatius
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Miriam E. A. Tschaffon-Müller
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- *Correspondence: Melanie Haffner-Luntzer, ; Miriam E. A. Tschaffon-Müller,
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Amoroso M, Langgartner D, Lowry CA, Reber SO. Rapidly Growing Mycobacterium Species: The Long and Winding Road from Tuberculosis Vaccines to Potent Stress-Resilience Agents. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312938. [PMID: 34884743 PMCID: PMC8657684 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory diseases and stressor-related psychiatric disorders, for which inflammation is a risk factor, are increasing in modern Western societies. Recent studies suggest that immunoregulatory approaches are a promising tool in reducing the risk of suffering from such disorders. Specifically, the environmental saprophyte Mycobacterium vaccae National Collection of Type Cultures (NCTC) 11659 has recently gained attention for the prevention and treatment of stress-related psychiatric disorders. However, effective use requires a sophisticated understanding of the effects of M. vaccae NCTC 11659 and related rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGMs) on microbiome–gut–immune–brain interactions. This historical narrative review is intended as a first step in exploring these mechanisms and provides an overview of preclinical and clinical studies on M. vaccae NCTC 11659 and related RGMs. The overall objective of this review article is to increase the comprehension of, and interest in, the mechanisms through which M. vaccae NCTC 11659 and related RGMs promote stress resilience, with the intention of fostering novel clinical strategies for the prevention and treatment of stressor-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Amoroso
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (M.A.); (D.L.)
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (M.A.); (D.L.)
| | - Christopher A. Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Center for Neuroscience and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA;
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), The Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Senior Fellow, inVIVO Planetary Health, of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ 07093, USA
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (M.A.); (D.L.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Kempter E, Amoroso M, Duffner HL, Werner AM, Langgartner D, Kupfer S, Reber SO. Changes in Functional Glucocorticoid Sensitivity of Isolated Splenocytes Induced by Chronic Psychosocial Stress - A Time Course Study. Front Immunol 2021; 12:753822. [PMID: 34675935 PMCID: PMC8523951 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.753822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic psychosocial stress is a risk factor for the development of numerous disorders, of which most are associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. Given the immunosuppressive effects of glucocorticoids (GC), one underlying mechanism might be the development of stress-induced GC resistance in certain immune cell subpopulations. In line with this hypothesis, male mice exposed to the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC, 19 days) model develop GC resistance of in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated splenocytes, splenomegaly and an increased percentage of splenic CD11b+ cells. Here male C57BL/6N mice were euthanized at different days during CSC, and following 30 days of single housing after stressor termination to assess when CSC-induced splenic GC resistance starts to develop and whether this is a transient effect. Moreover, splenic CD11b, GC receptor (GR) and/or macrophage migration inhibiting factor (MIF) protein levels were quantified at respective days. While mild forms of CSC-induced GC resistance, increased splenic CD11b expression and/or splenomegaly were detectable on days 8 and 9 of CSC, more severe forms took until days 15 and 16 to develop, but normalized almost completely within 30 days following stressor termination (day 51). In contrast, splenic GR expression was decreased in CSC versus single-housed control (SHC) mice at all days assessed. While MIF expression was increased on days 15 and 16 of CSC, it was decreased in CSC versus SHC mice on day 20 despite persisting splenomegaly, increased CD11b expression and functional GC resistance. In summary, our data indicate that GC resistance and CD11b+ cell-mediated splenomegaly develop gradually and in parallel over time during CSC exposure and are transient in nature. Moreover, while we can exclude that CSC-induced reduction in splenic GR expression is sufficient to induce functional GC resistance, the role of MIF in CD11b+ cell-mediated splenomegaly and GC resistance requires further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Kempter
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mattia Amoroso
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hannah L Duffner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andrea M Werner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandra Kupfer
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Haffner-Luntzer M, Langgartner D, Mazzari G, Probst J, Krueger B, Tschaffon M, Ignatius A, Reber SO. Early life stress does not affect bone mass in male mice but induces an osteopenic phenotype in female mice. Bone Rep 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bonr.2021.100837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
|
18
|
Appiah SA, Foxx CL, Langgartner D, Palmer A, Zambrano CA, Braumüller S, Schaefer EJ, Wachter U, Elam BL, Radermacher P, Stamper CE, Heinze JD, Salazar SN, Luthens AK, Arnold AL, Reber SO, Huber-Lang M, Lowry CA, Halbgebauer R. Evaluation of the gut microbiome in association with biological signatures of inflammation in murine polytrauma and shock. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6665. [PMID: 33758228 PMCID: PMC7988149 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85897-w] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe injuries are frequently accompanied by hemorrhagic shock and harbor an increased risk for complications. Local or systemic inflammation after trauma/hemorrhage may lead to a leaky intestinal epithelial barrier and subsequent translocation of gut microbiota, potentially worsening outcomes. To evaluate the extent with which trauma affects the gut microbiota composition, we performed a post hoc analysis of a murine model of polytrauma and hemorrhage. Four hours after injury, organs and plasma samples were collected, and the diversity and composition of the cecal microbiome were evaluated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Although cecal microbial alpha diversity and microbial community composition were not found to be different between experimental groups, norepinephrine support in shock animals resulted in increased alpha diversity, as indicated by higher numbers of distinct microbial features. We observed that the concentrations of proinflammatory mediators in plasma and intestinal tissue were associated with measures of microbial alpha and beta diversity and the presence of specific microbial drivers of inflammation, suggesting that the composition of the gut microbiome at the time of trauma, or shortly after trauma exposure, may play an important role in determining physiological outcomes. In conclusion, we found associations between measures of gut microbial alpha and beta diversity and the severity of systemic and local gut inflammation. Furthermore, our data suggest that four hours following injury is too early for development of global changes in the alpha diversity or community composition of the intestinal microbiome. Future investigations with increased temporal-spatial resolution are needed in order to fully elucidate the effects of trauma and shock on the gut microbiome, biological signatures of inflammation, and proximal and distal outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra A Appiah
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Christine L Foxx
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Annette Palmer
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, Centre for Biomedical Research, University Hospital Ulm, University Ulm, Helmholtzstr. 8/1, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Cristian A Zambrano
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Sonja Braumüller
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, Centre for Biomedical Research, University Hospital Ulm, University Ulm, Helmholtzstr. 8/1, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Evan J Schaefer
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Ulrich Wachter
- Institute for Anaesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Development, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Brooke L Elam
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Peter Radermacher
- Institute for Anaesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Development, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christopher E Stamper
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Jared D Heinze
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Stephanie N Salazar
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Amalia K Luthens
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Andrea L Arnold
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, Centre for Biomedical Research, University Hospital Ulm, University Ulm, Helmholtzstr. 8/1, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz, Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Rebecca Halbgebauer
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, Centre for Biomedical Research, University Hospital Ulm, University Ulm, Helmholtzstr. 8/1, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Balint EM, Jarczok MN, Langgartner D, Reber SO, Endes S, Schmidt-Trucksäss A, Funk A, Klinghammer J, Campbell S, Gündel H, Waller C. Heightened Stress Reactivity in Response to an Attachment Related Stressor in Patients With Medically Treated Primary Hypertension. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:718919. [PMID: 34566720 PMCID: PMC8459015 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.718919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: A heightened stress reactivity to mental stress tasks has been shown in hypertensive patients and might contribute to a higher disease risk. We investigated this hyperreactivity with regard to an attachment related stressor that focuses on emotions instead of performance and we examined whether this effect can also be found in patients on antihypertensive drugs. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with primary hypertension, treated with at least one antihypertensive drug, were compared with 25 healthy individuals. After 10 min of rest, they participated in an attachment-related interview (Adult Attachment Projective picture system, AAP) and were exposed to an attachment-related stressor (Separation Recall, SR), a short-time stressor which activates attachment-related emotions and thoughts by talking 5 min about a personal experience of loneliness. Blood samples to measure adrenocorticotrope hormone (ACTH), cortisol, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine were taken. Blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness were measured at rest, after AAP, after SR and 10 min after recovery. Standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) and root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) were calculated. Parameters were compared using Mann Whitney U-test and linear mixed-effects regression models controlling for age and body mass index (BMI) after logarithmic transformation if appropriate. Results: Healthy test persons were younger and had lower BMI than patients. Comparing the two groups there were no significant differences in blood pressure and heart rate at rest. Both stressors provoked a significant response in almost all parameters. Results of the post-estimation of contrasts from linear mixed-effects regression models showed a steeper rise in systolic BP and arterial stiffness as well as a more pronounced decline in SDNN in hypertensive patients than in healthy controls. Levels of cortisol rose earlier and higher in hypertensive patients than in healthy controls. Conclusion: Vascular, autonomic, and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis response is heightened in medicated subjects with hypertension in response to attachment-focused stressors compared to healthy subjects. We conclude that the remaining hyper-reactivity even with sufficient antihypertensive medication still poses a substantial risk for affected patients. New ways to diminish this risk should be developed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth M Balint
- Ulm University Medical Center, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm, Germany
| | - Marc N Jarczok
- Ulm University Medical Center, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Simon Endes
- Division of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Arno Schmidt-Trucksäss
- Division of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra Funk
- Ulm University Medical Center, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm, Germany
| | - Julia Klinghammer
- Ulm University Medical Center, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm, Germany
| | - Susanne Campbell
- Ulm University Medical Center, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Gündel
- Ulm University Medical Center, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christiane Waller
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Nuremberg General Hospital, Paracelsus Medical Private University, Nuremberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Langgartner D, Marks J, Nguyen TC, Reber SO. Changes in adrenal functioning induced by chronic psychosocial stress in male mice: A time course study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 122:104880. [PMID: 33065459 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC, 19 days), an established and preclinically-validated mouse model for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), causes evening hypocorticism and a reduced adrenal in vitro ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) sensitivity despite pronounced adrenal hyperplasia. However, until now it remains unclear at what time point during CSC exposure evening hypocorticism and adrenal in vitro ACTH insensitivity develop and whether the repeated change of dominant aggressor mice plays an important role in this context. It is, therefore, the aim of the current study, to explore the detailed time course of these stress-induced adrenal changes. METHODS Adrenal weight, plasma corticosterone (CORT) and ACTH were assessed in the morning of days 8 (right before exposure to the 2nd aggressor), 9 (24 h after exposure to the 2nd aggressor), 15 (right before exposure to the 3rd aggressor), 16 (24 h after exposure to the 3rd aggressor) and 20 or in the evening of days 8 (10 h after exposure to the 2nd aggressor), 9 (34 h after exposure to the 2nd aggressor), 15 (10 h after exposure to the 3rd aggressor), 16 (34 h after exposure to the 3rd aggressor) and 20 of CSC exposure. Moreover, we in vitro cultured adrenal explants of all mice euthanized in the morning of days 8, 9, 15, 16 and 20 either in the presence or absence of ACTH to subsequently assess CORT concentration in the supernatants. RESULTS Our results indicate that while adrenal mass was increased at all time points assessed, plasma morning CORT only transiently increased in response to the 2nd (on day 8) but not 3rd (on day 15) dominant aggressor mouse. Moreover, although mild signs of adrenal in vitro ACTH insensitivity developed already after one week of CSC exposure, moderate and severe adrenal in vitro ACTH insensitivity required two and three weeks of chronic subordination, respectively. CONCLUSION Together with unaffected plasma ACTH levels at all time points assessed, our data suggest that stress-induced adrenal in vitro ACTH insensitivity develops gradually during times of chronic subordination while subordination to different aggressor mice aggravates its severity. Moreover, a mild form of adrenal ACTH insensitivity seems to allow prevention of morning hypercorticism on day 8 of CSC, despite functional adrenal mass being increased, while a moderate and severe form of adrenal ACTH insensitivity in CSC mice seems to promote HPA axis adaptation to repeated homotypic stressor exposure (i.e. dominant aggressor mice) and basal evening hypocorticism in CSC mice, respectively. Our results might, therefore, be the basis for future clinical studies assessing CORT supplementation as novel treatment regimen for somatic and affective pathologies linked to chronic and/or traumatic stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Janina Marks
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Thien C Nguyen
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Amoroso M, Böttcher A, Lowry CA, Langgartner D, Reber SO. Subcutaneous Mycobacterium vaccae promotes resilience in a mouse model of chronic psychosocial stress when administered prior to or during psychosocial stress. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 87:309-317. [PMID: 31887415 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic psychosocial stress is a risk factor for many mental disorders, including affective disorders, anxiety disorders, and trauma- and stressor-related disorders (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD). As these disorders are associated with an overreactive immune system and chronic low-grade inflammation, immunoregulatory approaches counterbalancing basal and/or stress-induced immune activation should be protective in this context. In support of this hypothesis, we recently demonstrated that repeated subcutaneous (s.c.) preimmunization with a heat-killed preparation of the immunoregulatory bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae (M. vaccae; National Collection of Type Culture (NCTC) 11659) promoted proactive stress coping and protected against stress-induced anxiety and intestinal pathology in a mouse model of chronic psychosocial stress. To induce development of a chronic anxiety-like state, the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm was used. Here we employed the CSC paradigm (start day 1) to confirm the stress-protective effects of repeated s.c. M. vaccae administrations prior to CSC exposure (days -21, -14, and -7) and to extend these findings to the stress-protective role of M. vaccae when administered repeatedly during CSC exposure (days 2, 8 and 15). As readouts we assessed the stress coping behavior on days 1, 8, and 15 and general and/or social anxiety-related behavior on days 19 (elevated plus-maze), 20 (open-field/novel object test), and day 21 (social preference/avoidance test) of CSC exposure. In line with our previous study, M. vaccae administered prior to CSC strongly promoted active stress coping and moderately reduced CSC-induced general and social anxiety. Although M. vaccae administered during CSC did not affect stress coping, this treatment protocol profoundly protected against CSC-induced general, and to a lesser extent social, anxiety. Taken together, these data broaden the framework for developing bioimmunoregulatory approaches, based on the administration of immunoregulatory microorganisms, for the prevention and/or treatment of affective disorders, anxiety disorders, and trauma- and stressor-related psychiatric disorders like PTSD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Amoroso
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Alexandra Böttcher
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Center for Neuroscience, and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), The Rocky Mountain Regional Medical Center (RMRMC), Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Langgartner D, Wachter U, Hartmann C, Gröger M, Vogt J, Merz T, McCook O, Fink M, Kress S, Georgieff M, Kunze JF, Radermacher PL, Reber SO, Wepler M. Effects of Psychosocial Stress on Subsequent Hemorrhagic Shock and Resuscitation in Male Mice. Shock 2020; 51:725-730. [PMID: 29889818 DOI: 10.1097/shk.0000000000001204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypoxemia and tissue ischemia during hemorrhage as well as formation of oxygen and nitrogen radicals during resuscitation promote hyperinflammation and, consequently, trigger severe multi-organ failure (MOF). Individuals diagnosed with stress-related disorders or reporting a life history of psychosocial stress are characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation and a reduced glucocorticoid (GC) signaling. We hypothesized that exposure to chronic psychosocial stress during adulthood prior to hemorrhagic shock increases oxidative/nitrosative stress and therefore the risk of developing MOF in mice. METHODS AND FINDINGS To induce chronic psychosocial stress linked to mild immune activation and reduced GC signaling in male mice, the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm was employed. Single-housed (SHC) mice were used as controls. Subsequently, CSC and SHC mice were exposed to hemorrhagic shock following resuscitation to investigate the effects of prior psychosocial stress load on survival, organ function, metabolism, oxidative/nitrosative stress, and inflammatory readouts. An increased adrenal weight in CSC mice indicates that the stress paradigm reliably worked. However, no effect of prior psychosocial stress on outcome after subsequent hemorrhage and resuscitation could be detected. CONCLUSIONS Chronic psychosocial stress during adulthood is not sufficient to promote hemodynamic complications, organ dysfunction, metabolic disturbances and did not increase the risk of MOF after subsequent hemorrhage and resuscitation. Intravenous norepinephrine to keep target hemodynamics might have led to a certain level of oxidative stress in both groups and, therefore, disguised potential effects of chronic psychosocial stress on organ function after hemorrhagic shock in the present murine trauma model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ulrich Wachter
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Clair Hartmann
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Michael Gröger
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Josef Vogt
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tamara Merz
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Oscar McCook
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Marina Fink
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandra Kress
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Julia F Kunze
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Peter L Radermacher
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Martin Wepler
- Institute for Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Foertsch S, Reber SO. The role of physical trauma in social stress-induced immune activation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:169-178. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
|
24
|
Wohnhaas CT, Schmid R, Rolser M, Kaaru E, Langgartner D, Rieber K, Strobel B, Eisele C, Wiech F, Jakob I, Gantner F, Herichova I, Vinisko R, Böcher WO, Visvanathan S, Shen F, Panzenbeck M, Raymond E, Reber SO, Delić D, Baum P. Fecal MicroRNAs Show Promise as Noninvasive Crohn's Disease Biomarkers. Crohns Colitis 360 2020; 2:otaa003. [PMID: 32551441 PMCID: PMC7291945 DOI: 10.1093/crocol/otaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background Short non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in various cellular processes during disease progression of Crohn’s disease (CD) and remarkably stable in feces, which make them attractive biomarker candidates for reflecting intestinal inflammatory processes. Here we investigated the potential of fecal miRNAs as noninvasive and translational CD biomarkers. Methods MiRNAs were screened in feces of 52 patients with CD and 15 healthy controls using RNA sequencing and the results were confirmed by PCR. The relationship between fecal miRNA levels and the clinical CD activity index (CDAI) or CD endoscopic index of severity (CDEIS) was explored, respectively. Additionally, fecal miRNAs were investigated in dextran sodium sulfate, adoptive T-cell transfer, and Helicobacter typhlonius/stress-induced murine colitis models using the NanoString platform. Results Nine miRNAs (miR-15a-5p, miR-16-5p, miR-128-3p, miR-142-5p, miR-24-3p, miR-27a-3p, miR-223-3p, miR-223-5p, and miR-3074-5p) were significantly (adj. P < 0.05, >3-fold) increased whereas 8 miRNAs (miR-10a-5p, miR-10b-5p, miR-141-3p, miR-192-5p, miR-200a-3p, miR-375, miR-378a-3p, and let-7g-5p) were significantly decreased in CD. MiR-192-5p, miR-375, and miR-141-3p correlated (P < 0.05) with both CDAI and CDEIS whereas miR-15a-5p correlated only with CDEIS. Deregulated expression of miR-223-3p, miR-16-5p, miR-15a-5p, miR-24-3p, and miR-200a-3p was also observed in murine models. The identified altered fecal miRNA levels reflect pathophysiological mechanisms in CD, such as Th1 and Th17 inflammation, autophagy, and fibrotic processes. Conclusions Our translational study assessed global fecal miRNA changes of patients with CD and relevant preclinical models. These fecal miRNAs show promise as translational and clinically useful noninvasive biomarkers for mechanistic investigation of intestinal pathophysiology, including monitoring of disease progression. MicroRNAs are involved in disease progression of Crohn’s disease (CD). This study identified significantly altered fecal levels of 17 microRNAs in CD compared to healthy subjects. These microRNAs reflect pathophysiological mechanisms and show promise as clinically useful, noninvasive CD biomarkers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ramona Schmid
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Marcel Rolser
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Eric Kaaru
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kathrin Rieber
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | | | - Claudia Eisele
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Franziska Wiech
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Ines Jakob
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | | | | | - Richard Vinisko
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA
| | - Wulf O Böcher
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Ingelheim, Germany
| | | | - Fei Shen
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA
| | - Mark Panzenbeck
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA
| | - Ernest Raymond
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Denis Delić
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Patrick Baum
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Langgartner D, Zambrano CA, Heinze JD, Stamper CE, Böbel TS, Hackl SB, Jarczok MN, Rohleder N, Rook GA, Gündel H, Waller C, Lowry CA, Reber SO. Association of the Salivary Microbiome With Animal Contact During Early Life and Stress-Induced Immune Activation in Healthy Participants. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:353. [PMID: 32457661 PMCID: PMC7223923 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of stress-associated somatic and psychiatric disorders is increased in environments offering a narrow relative to a wide range of microbial exposure. Moreover, different animal and human studies suggest that an overreactive immune system not only accompanies stress-associated disorders, but might even be causally involved in their pathogenesis. In support of this hypothesis, we recently showed that urban upbringing in the absence of daily contact with pets, compared to rural upbringing in the presence of daily contact with farm animals, is associated with a more pronounced immune activation following acute psychosocial stressor exposure induced by the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Here we employed 16S rRNA gene sequencing to test whether this difference in TSST-induced immune activation between urban upbringing in the absence of daily contact with pets (n = 20) compared with rural upbringing in the presence of daily contact with farm animals (n = 20) is associated with differences in the composition of the salivary microbiome. Although we did not detect any differences in alpha or beta diversity measures of the salivary microbiome between the two experimental groups, statistical analysis revealed that the salivary microbial beta diversity was significantly higher in participants with absolutely no animal contact (n = 5, urban participants) until the age of 15 compared to all other participants (n = 35) reporting either daily contact with farm animals (n = 20, rural participants) or occasional pet contact (n = 15, urban participants). Interestingly, when comparing these urban participants with absolutely no pet contact to the remaining urban participants with occasional pet contact, the former also displayed a significantly higher immune, but not hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis or sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation, following TSST exposure. In summary, we conclude that only urban upbringing with absolutely no animal contact had long-lasting effects on the composition of the salivary microbiome and potentiates the negative consequences of urban upbringing on stress-induced immune activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Cristian A Zambrano
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Jared D Heinze
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Christopher E Stamper
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Till S Böbel
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sascha B Hackl
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Marc N Jarczok
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rohleder
- Department of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Graham A Rook
- Center for Clinical Microbiology, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom
| | - Harald Gündel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christiane Waller
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States.,Center for Neuroscience and Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States.,Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), The Rocky Mountain Regional Medical Center (RMRMC), Aurora, CO, United States.,Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, United States.,inVIVO Planetary Health, Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ, United States
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Langgartner D, Palmer A, Rittlinger A, Reber SO, Huber-Lang M. Effects of Prior Psychosocial Trauma on Subsequent Immune Response After Experimental Thorax Trauma. Shock 2019; 49:690-697. [PMID: 28846569 DOI: 10.1097/shk.0000000000000973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Overshooting inflammation during the early phase after blunt thorax trauma promotes the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ failure, and subsequent mortality. Given that individuals diagnosed with stress-related disorders are characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, we hypothesize that "psychosocial traumatic preload" poses a risk factor for the abovementioned complications after thorax trauma.Here, we used the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm to induce "psychosocial traumatic preload" and systemic low-grade immune activation in male mice, indicated by elevated plasma concentrations of different inflammatory mediators. Subsequent thorax trauma was induced in anaesthetized mice by a single blast wave centered on the thorax; SHAM animals were exposed to anesthesia only. Mice were killed 2, 6, and 24 h after thorax trauma or SHAM treatment.Independent of thorax trauma, CSC caused an increase in adrenal weight, and a decrease in thymus weight, indicating that the stress paradigm worked reliably. Moreover, although lung histology was not affected by prior stress, CSC exposure aggravated the early immune response after thorax trauma, indicated by elevated myeloperoxidase lung concentrations in thorax trauma-exposed CSC versus respective single-housed control (SHC) mice (2 h). Furthermore, thorax trauma caused an increase in total bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) protein (24 h), BAL C5a (2 h), BAL cell counts (24 h), and BAL keratinocyte chemoattractant (6 h and 24 h) in CSC but not SHC mice.Our data indicate that repeated psychosocial traumatization during adulthood moderately aggravates the local immune response toward thorax trauma, but overall may be considered as a rather minor risk factor in terms of thorax trauma-associated complications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Annette Palmer
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma-Immunology, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Anne Rittlinger
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma-Immunology, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma-Immunology, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Foertsch S, Lackner I, Weber B, Füchsl AM, Langgartner D, Wirkert E, Peters S, Fois G, Pressmar J, Fegert JM, Frick M, Gündel H, Kalbitz M, Reber SO. Sensory contact to the stressor prevents recovery from structural and functional heart damage following psychosocial trauma. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 80:667-677. [PMID: 31085218 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disorders (CVD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are highly comorbid, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Chronic psychosocial stress was induced in male mice by chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC), a pre-clinically validated mouse model for PTSD. Cardiac structure and function were assessed on day 20 of the CSC paradigm. Following CSC, mice were kept in different sensory contact modalities to the last aggressor for 30 days, and development of cardiac function and behavioral aspects were determined. Here we show that psychosocial trauma affects heart structure by disturbing cell-to-cell integrity of cardiomyocytes, causes tachycardia, disturbance of diurnal heart rate rhythmicity and behavioral deficits in a mouse model for PTSD. Structural and functional alterations were also found in cardiomyocytes upon in vitro treatment with pro-inflammatory cytokines typically increased after psychosocial trauma. Interestingly, sensory contact to the aggressor subsequent to psychosocial trauma prohibits functional and structural heart recovery, while isolation was beneficial for cardiac but detrimental for mental health. These findings contribute to our understanding of potential mechanisms underlying the high comorbidity of CVD and PTSD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Foertsch
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ina Lackner
- Department of Traumatology, Hand, Plastic-, and Reconstructive Surgery, Center of Surgery, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Birte Weber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andrea M Füchsl
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Eva Wirkert
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sebastian Peters
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Giorgio Fois
- Institute of General Physiology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jochen Pressmar
- Department of Traumatology, Hand, Plastic-, and Reconstructive Surgery, Center of Surgery, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jörg M Fegert
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Manfred Frick
- Institute of General Physiology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Harald Gündel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Miriam Kalbitz
- Department of Traumatology, Hand, Plastic-, and Reconstructive Surgery, Center of Surgery, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Abstract
There is a considerable body of evidence indicating that chronic adverse experience, especially chronic psychosocial stress/trauma, represents a major risk factor for the development of many somatic and affective disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the mechanisms underlying the development of chronic stress-associated disorders are still in large part unknown, and current treatment and prevention strategies lack efficacy and reliability. A greater understanding of mechanisms involved in the development and persistence of chronic stress-induced disorders may lead to novel approaches to prevention and treatment of these disorders. In this review, we provide evidence indicating that increases in immune (re-)activity and inflammation, potentially promoted by a reduced exposure to immunoregulatory microorganisms ("Old Friends") in today's modern society, may be causal factors in mediating the vulnerability to development and persistence of stress-related pathologies. Moreover, we discuss strategies to increase immunoregulatory processes and attenuate inflammation, as for instance contact with immunoregulatory Old Friends, which appears to be a promising strategy to promote stress resilience and to prevent/treat chronic stress-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), Denver, CO, 80220, USA
- Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO, 80220, USA
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Langgartner D, Vaihinger CA, Haffner-Luntzer M, Kunze JF, Weiss ALJ, Foertsch S, Bergdolt S, Ignatius A, Reber SO. The Role of the Intestinal Microbiome in Chronic Psychosocial Stress-Induced Pathologies in Male Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:252. [PMID: 30464743 PMCID: PMC6234875 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic psychosocial stress is a risk factor for the development of physical and mental disorders accompanied or driven by an activated immune system. Given that chronic stress-induced systemic immune activation is lacking in germ-free and antibiotics-treated mice, a causal role of the gut microbiome in the development of stress-related disorders is likely. To address this hypothesis in the current study we employed the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC, 19 days) paradigm, a pre-clinically validated mouse model for chronic psychosocial stress, known to alter the gut microbial signature and to induce systemic low-grade inflammation, as well as physical and mental abnormalities. In detail, we investigated if (i) CSC-induced alterations can be prevented by repeated transplantation of feces (FT) from non-stressed single-housed control (SHC) mice during CSC exposure, and (ii) if the transplantation of a “stressed” CSC microbiome is able to induce CSC effects in SHC mice. Therefore, we repeatedly infused SHC and CSC recipient mice rectally with SHC donor feces at days 4 and 11 of the CSC paradigm and assessed anxiety-related behavior on day 19 as well as physiological, immunological, and bone parameters on day 20. Furthermore, SHC and CSC recipient mice were infused with CSC donor feces at respective days. To exclude effects of rectal infusions per se, another set of SHC and CSC mice was infused with saline, respectively. Our results showed that transplantation of SHC feces had mild stress-protective effects, indicated by an amelioration of CSC-induced thymus atrophy, anxiety, systemic low-grade inflammation, and alterations in bone homeostasis. Moreover, transplantation of CSC feces slightly aggravated CSC-induced systemic low-grade inflammation and alterations in bone homeostasis in SHC and/or CSC animals. In conclusion, our data provide evidence for a role of the host’s microbiome in many, but not all, adverse consequences of chronic psychosocial stress. Moreover, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that transplantation of healthy feces might be a useful tool to prevent/treat different adverse outcomes of chronic stress. Finally, our data suggests that stress effects can be transferred to a certain extend via FT, proposing therapeutic approaches using FT to carefully screen fecal donors for their stress/trauma history.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Carolyn A Vaihinger
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Melanie Haffner-Luntzer
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Julia F Kunze
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena J Weiss
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandra Foertsch
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stephanie Bergdolt
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Anita Ignatius
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Armacki M, Trugenberger AK, Ellwanger AK, Eiseler T, Schwerdt C, Bettac L, Langgartner D, Azoitei N, Halbgebauer R, Groß R, Barth T, Lechel A, Walter BM, Kraus JM, Wiegreffe C, Grimm J, Scheffold A, Schneider MR, Peuker K, Zeißig S, Britsch S, Rose-John S, Vettorazzi S, Wolf E, Tannapfel A, Steinestel K, Reber SO, Walther P, Kestler HA, Radermacher P, Barth TF, Huber-Lang M, Kleger A, Seufferlein T. Thirty-eight-negative kinase 1 mediates trauma-induced intestinal injury and multi-organ failure. J Clin Invest 2018; 128:5056-5072. [PMID: 30320600 DOI: 10.1172/jci97912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulated intestinal epithelial apoptosis initiates gut injury, alters the intestinal barrier, and can facilitate bacterial translocation leading to a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and/or multi-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). A variety of gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease, have been linked to intestinal apoptosis. Similarly, intestinal hyperpermeability and gut failure occur in critically ill patients, putting the gut at the center of SIRS pathology. Regulation of apoptosis and immune-modulatory functions have been ascribed to Thirty-eight-negative kinase 1 (TNK1), whose activity is regulated merely by expression. We investigated the effect of TNK1 on intestinal integrity and its role in MODS. TNK1 expression induced crypt-specific apoptosis, leading to bacterial translocation, subsequent septic shock, and early death. Mechanistically, TNK1 expression in vivo resulted in STAT3 phosphorylation, nuclear translocation of p65, and release of IL-6 and TNF-α. A TNF-α neutralizing antibody partially blocked development of intestinal damage. Conversely, gut-specific deletion of TNK1 protected the intestinal mucosa from experimental colitis and prevented cytokine release in the gut. Finally, TNK1 was found to be deregulated in the gut in murine and porcine trauma models and human inflammatory bowel disease. Thus, TNK1 might be a target during MODS to prevent damage in several organs, notably the gut.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Milena Armacki
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Ann K Ellwanger
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tim Eiseler
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christiane Schwerdt
- Waldkrankenhaus "Rudolph Elle" Eisenberg, Lehrstuhl für Orthopädie Uniklinik Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Lucas Bettac
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, and
| | - Ninel Azoitei
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rebecca Halbgebauer
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Groß
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tabea Barth
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - André Lechel
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Benjamin M Walter
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Annika Scheffold
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Kenneth Peuker
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sebastian Zeißig
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Britsch
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Sabine Vettorazzi
- Institute of Comparative Molecular Endocrinology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | | | - Konrad Steinestel
- Institute of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, and
| | - Paul Walther
- Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Peter Radermacher
- Institute of Anesthesiological Pathophysiology and Process Engineering, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Trauma Immunology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Alexander Kleger
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Seufferlein
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Langgartner D, Füchsl AM, Kaiser LM, Meier T, Foertsch S, Buske C, Reber SO, Mulaw MA. Biomarkers for classification and class prediction of stress in a murine model of chronic subordination stress. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202471. [PMID: 30183738 PMCID: PMC6124755 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Selye defined stress as the nonspecific response of the body to any demand and thus an inherent element of all diseases. He reported that rats show adrenal hypertrophy, thymicolymphatic atrophy, and gastrointestinal ulceration, referred to as the stress triad, upon repeated exposure to nocuous agents. However, Selye's stress triad as well as its extended version including reduced body weight gain, increased plasma glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations, and GC resistance of target cells do not represent reliable discriminatory biomarkers for chronic stress. To address this, we collected multivariate biological data from male mice exposed either to the preclinically validated chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm or to single-housed control (SHC) condition. We then used principal component analysis (PCA), top scoring pairs (tsp) and support vector machines (SVM) analyses to identify markers that discriminate between chronically stressed and non-stressed mice. PCA segregated stressed and non-stressed mice, with high loading for some of Selye's stress triad parameters. The tsp analysis, a simple and highly interpretable statistical approach, identified left adrenal weight and relative thymus weight as the pair with the highest discrimination score and prediction accuracy validated by a blinded dataset (92% p-value < 0.0001; SVM model = 83% accuracy and p-value < 0.0001). This finding clearly shows that simultaneous consideration of these two parameters can be used as a reliable biomarker of chronic stress status. Furthermore, our analysis highlights that the tsp approach is a very powerful method whose application extends beyond what has previously been reported.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andrea M. Füchsl
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lisa M. Kaiser
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tatjana Meier
- Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandra Foertsch
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christian Buske
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Medhanie A. Mulaw
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Reichel M, Rhein C, Hofmann LM, Monti J, Japtok L, Langgartner D, Füchsl AM, Kleuser B, Gulbins E, Hellerbrand C, Reber SO, Kornhuber J. Chronic Psychosocial Stress in Mice Is Associated With Increased Acid Sphingomyelinase Activity in Liver and Serum and With Hepatic C16:0-Ceramide Accumulation. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:496. [PMID: 30386262 PMCID: PMC6198178 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic psychosocial stress adversely affects human morbidity and is a risk factor for inflammatory disorders, liver diseases, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and major depressive disorder (MDD). In recent studies, we found an association of MDD with an increase of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) activity. Thus, we asked whether chronic psychosocial stress as a detrimental factor contributing to the emergence of MDD would also affect ASM activity and sphingolipid (SL) metabolism. To induce chronic psychosocial stress in male mice we employed the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm and compared them to non-stressed single housed control (SHC) mice. We determined Asm activity in liver and serum, hepatic SL concentrations as well as hepatic mRNA expression of genes involved in SL metabolism. We found that hepatic Asm activity was increased by 28% (P = 0.006) and secretory Asm activity by 47% (P = 0.002) in stressed mice. C16:0-Cer was increased by 40% (P = 0.008). Gene expression analysis further revealed an increased expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (P = 0.009) and of several genes involved in SL metabolism (Cers5, P = 0.028; Cers6, P = 0.045; Gba, P = 0.049; Gba2, P = 0.030; Ormdl2, P = 0.034; Smpdl3B; P = 0.013). Our data thus provides first evidence that chronic psychosocial stress, at least in mice, induces alterations in SL metabolism, which in turn might be involved in mediating the adverse health effects of chronic psychosocial stress and peripheral changes occurring in mood disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Reichel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cosima Rhein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lena M Hofmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Juliana Monti
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lukasz Japtok
- Institute of Nutritional Sciences, University of Potsdam, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andrea M Füchsl
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Kleuser
- Institute of Nutritional Sciences, University of Potsdam, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Erich Gulbins
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Claus Hellerbrand
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Foertsch S, Haffner-Luntzer M, Kroner J, Gross F, Kaiser K, Erber M, Reber SO, Ignatius A. Chronic psychosocial stress disturbs long-bone growth in adolescent mice. Dis Model Mech 2017; 10:1399-1409. [PMID: 28982680 PMCID: PMC5769608 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.030916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Although a strong association between psychiatric and somatic disorders is generally accepted, little is known regarding the interrelationship between mental and skeletal health. Although depressive disorders have been shown to be strongly associated with osteoporosis and increased fracture risk, evidence from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients is less consistent. Therefore, the present study investigated the influence of chronic psychosocial stress on bone using a well-established murine model for PTSD. C57BL/6N mice (7 weeks old) were subjected to chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) for 19 days, whereas control mice were singly housed. Anxiety-related behavior was assessed in the open-field/novel-object test, after which the mice were euthanized to assess endocrine and bone parameters. CSC mice exhibited increased anxiety-related behavior in the open-field/novel-object test, increased adrenal and decreased thymus weights, and unaffected plasma morning corticosterone. Microcomputed tomography and histomorphometrical analyses revealed significantly reduced tibia and femur lengths, increased growth-plate thickness and reduced mineral deposition at the growth plate, suggesting disturbed endochondral ossification during long-bone growth. This was associated with reduced Runx2 expression in hypertrophic chondrocytes in the growth plate. Trabecular thicknesses and bone mineral density were significantly increased in CSC compared to singly housed mice. Tyrosine hydroxylase expression was increased in bone marrow cells located at the growth plates of CSC mice, implying that local adrenergic signaling might be involved in the effects of CSC on the skeletal phenotype. In conclusion, chronic psychosocial stress negatively impacts endochondral ossification in the growth plate, affecting both longitudinal and appositional bone growth in adolescent mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Foertsch
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Melanie Haffner-Luntzer
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Jochen Kroner
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Florian Gross
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Kathrin Kaiser
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Maike Erber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Anita Ignatius
- Institute of Orthopedic Research and Biomechanics, University Medical Center Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Foertsch S, Füchsl AM, Faller SD, Hölzer H, Langgartner D, Messmann J, Strauß G, Reber SO. Splenic glucocorticoid resistance following psychosocial stress requires physical injury. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15730. [PMID: 29146967 PMCID: PMC5691078 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15897-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mice exposed to chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) stress show glucocorticoid (GC) resistance of in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated splenocytes, increased anxiety and colitis. Similar effects were reported in wounded mice exposed to social disruption (SDR). Here we show that CSC exposure induced GC resistance in isolated and in vitro LPS-stimulated, but not unstimulated, splenocytes, and these effects were absent when CD11b+ splenocytes were depleted. Moreover, re-active coping behaviour during CSC correlated with the attacks and bites received by the resident, which in turn highly correlated with the dimension of splenic GC resistance, as with basal and LPS-induced in vitro splenocyte viability. Importantly, social stress promoted spleen cell activation, independent of bite wounds or CD11b+/CD11b− cell phenotype, whereas GC resistance was dependent on both bite wounds and the presence of CD11b+ cells. Together, our findings indicate that the mechanisms underlying splenic immune activation and GC resistance following social stress in male mice are paradigm independent and, to a large extent, dependent on wounding, which, in turn, is associated with a re-active coping style.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Foertsch
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andrea M Füchsl
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany.,Institute of Physiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sandra D Faller
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hannah Hölzer
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Joanna Messmann
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Gudrun Strauß
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Langgartner D, Peterlik D, Foertsch S, Füchsl AM, Brokmann P, Flor PJ, Shen Z, Fox JG, Uschold-Schmidt N, Lowry CA, Reber SO. Individual differences in stress vulnerability: The role of gut pathobionts in stress-induced colitis. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 64:23-32. [PMID: 28012830 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [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: 08/26/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC), an established mouse model for chronic psychosocial stress, promotes a microbial signature of gut inflammation, characterized by expansion of Proteobacteria, specifically Helicobacter spp., in association with colitis development. However, whether the presence of Helicobacter spp. during CSC is critically required for colitis development is unknown. Notably, during previous CSC studies performed at Regensburg University (University 1), male specific-pathogen-free (SPF) CSC mice lived in continuous subordination to a physically present and Helicobacter spp.-positive resident. Therefore, it is likely that CSC mice were colonized, during the CSC procedure, with Helicobacter spp. originating from the dominant resident. In the present study we show that employing SPF CSC mice and Helicobacter spp.-free SPF residents at Ulm University (University 2), results in physiological responses that are typical of chronic psychosocial stress, including increased adrenal and decreased thymus weights, decreased adrenal in vitro adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) responsiveness, and increased anxiety-related behavior. However, in contrast to previous studies that used Helicobacter spp.-positive resident mice, use of Helicobacter spp.-negative resident mice failed to induce spontaneous colitis in SPF CSC mice. Consistent with the hypothesis that the latter is due to a lack of Helicobacter spp. transmission from dominant residents to subordinate mice during the CSC procedure, colonization of SPF residents with Helicobacter typhlonius at University 2, prior to the start of the CSC model, rescued the colitis-inducing potential of CSC exposure. Furthermore, using SPF CSC mice and H. typhlonius-free SPF residents at University 1 prevented CSC-induced colitis. In summary, our data support the hypothesis that the presence or absence of exposure to certain pathobionts contributes to individual variability in susceptibility to stress-/trauma-associated pathologies and to reproducibility of stress-related outcomes between laboratories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Peterlik
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Foertsch
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Andrea M Füchsl
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Petra Brokmann
- Animal Research Facility, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Peter J Flor
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Zeli Shen
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - James G Fox
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Nicole Uschold-Schmidt
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO 80220, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Perani CV, Langgartner D, Uschold-Schmidt N, Füchsl AM, Neumann ID, Reber SO, Slattery DA. Adrenal gland plasticity in lactating rats and mice is sufficient to maintain basal hypersecretion of corticosterone. Stress 2017; 20:303-311. [PMID: 28460556 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2017.1325462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [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] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased basal glucocorticoid secretion and a reduced glucocorticoid response during acute stress, despite only minor changes in the secretion of the major secretagogue adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), have been documented in the peripartum period in several species. We recently showed that the adrenal gland, the site of glucocorticoid synthesis, undergoes substantial postpartum-associated plasticity in the rat at mid-lactation. Here, we asked the question whether adrenal changes already take place around parturition in the rat and in another species, namely the mouse. After demonstrating that several components of the adrenal machinery mediating cholesterol supply for steroidogenesis, including protein levels of hormone-sensitive lipase, low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and scavenger receptor class-B type-1 (SRB1), are upregulated, while hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) is downregulated in the lactating rat one day after delivery, as previously observed at mid-lactation, we demonstrated profound changes in the mouse. In detail, protein expression of LDLR, SRB1, HMGCR and adrenal lipid store density were increased in the mouse adrenal one day after parturition as tested via western blot analysis and oil-red lipid staining, respectively. Moreover, using in vitro culture techniques, we observed that isolated adrenal explants from lactating mice secreted higher levels of corticosterone under basal conditions, but showed impaired responsiveness to ACTH, mimicking the in vivo scenario. These results suggest that mechanisms of adaptation in the maternal adrenal after delivery, namely increased cholesterol availability and decreased ACTH sensitivity, are crucial for the basal increase in circulating glucocorticoids and maternal stress hyporesponsiveness that are typical of this period.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clara V Perani
- a Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology , University of Regensburg , Regensburg , Germany
- b Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Laboratory for Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine , University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- c Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy , University of Ulm , Ulm , Germany
| | - Nicole Uschold-Schmidt
- a Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology , University of Regensburg , Regensburg , Germany
- d Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology , University of Regensburg , Regensburg , Germany
| | - Andrea M Füchsl
- a Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology , University of Regensburg , Regensburg , Germany
- c Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy , University of Ulm , Ulm , Germany
| | - Inga D Neumann
- a Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology , University of Regensburg , Regensburg , Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- a Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology , University of Regensburg , Regensburg , Germany
- c Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy , University of Ulm , Ulm , Germany
| | - David A Slattery
- a Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology , University of Regensburg , Regensburg , Germany
- e Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy , University Hospital Frankfurt , Frankfurt , Germany
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Abstract
While animal housing conditions are highly controlled and standardized between different laboratories, there are still many subtle differences that unavoidably influence the host organisms and, consequently, interlaboratory reproducibility. Here, we investigated the physiological and immunological consequences between two light/dark cycle (LDC) lengths (14-h/10-h vs. 12-h/12-h LDC) and two commonly used forms of drinking water (acidified drinking water (AW) versus normal tap water (NW)) in single-housed (SH) mice. Our results indicate that SH mice bred under a 12-h/12-h LDC and NW at the supplier's facility showed increased basal morning plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels even 4 weeks after arrival at our animal facility employing a 14-h/10-h LDC and AW. This effect was even more pronounced two weeks after arrival and had abated after 8 weeks. In agreement, increased plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), adrenal in vitro ACTH sensitivity, as well as relative and absolute adrenal weight normalized during this 8-week exposure to the novel and unfamiliar 14-h/10-h LDC and AW. Employment of a 12-h/12-h LDC in our facility completely abrogated the CORT-elevating effects of the 14-h/10-h LDC, despite these animals drinking AW. When both the water and light conditions were matched to those at the supplier's facility, we observed a further reduction in adrenal weight, increased thymus weight, and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion of isolated and anti-CD3/28-stimulated mesenteric lymph node cells. In summary, our results indicate that prolonged alteration of both the light phase and drinking water represent severe and long-lasting stressors for laboratory rodents. These findings are of general interest for all scientists obtaining their experimental animals from conventional suppliers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- a Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy , University Ulm , Ulm , Germany
| | - Sandra Foertsch
- a Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy , University Ulm , Ulm , Germany
| | - Andrea M Füchsl
- a Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy , University Ulm , Ulm , Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- a Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy , University Ulm , Ulm , Germany
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Peterlik D, Stangl C, Bauer A, Bludau A, Keller J, Grabski D, Killian T, Schmidt D, Zajicek F, Jaeschke G, Lindemann L, Reber SO, Flor PJ, Uschold-Schmidt N. Blocking metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 relieves maladaptive chronic stress consequences. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 59:79-92. [PMID: 27524668 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 03/24/2016] [Revised: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Etiology and pharmacotherapy of stress-related psychiatric conditions and somatoform disorders are areas of high unmet medical need. Stressors holding chronic plus psychosocial components thereby bear the highest health risk. Although the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGlu5) is well studied in the context of acute stress-induced behaviors and physiology, virtually nothing is known about its potential involvement in chronic psychosocial stress. Using the mGlu5 negative allosteric modulator CTEP (2-chloro-4-[2-[2,5-dimethyl-1-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl]imidazol-4yl]ethynyl]pyridine), a close analogue of the clinically active drug basimglurant - but optimized for rodent studies, as well as mGlu5-deficient mice in combination with a mouse model of male subordination (termed CSC, chronic subordinate colony housing), we demonstrate that mGlu5 mediates multiple physiological, immunological, and behavioral consequences of chronic psychosocial stressor exposure. For instance, CTEP dose-dependently relieved hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunctions, colonic inflammation as well as the CSC-induced increase in innate anxiety; genetic ablation of mGlu5 in mice largely reproduced the stress-protective effects of CTEP and additionally ameliorated CSC-induced physiological anxiety. Interestingly, CSC also induced an upregulation of mGlu5 in the hippocampus, a stress-regulating brain area. Taken together, our findings provide evidence that mGlu5 is an important mediator for a wide range of chronic psychosocial stress-induced alterations and a potentially valuable drug target for the treatment of chronic stress-related pathologies in man.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Peterlik
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christina Stangl
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Amelie Bauer
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anna Bludau
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jana Keller
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Dominik Grabski
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Killian
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Dominic Schmidt
- Institute of Immunology, University of Regensburg, D-93042 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Zajicek
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Georg Jaeschke
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Discovery Chemistry, Roche Innovation Center Basel, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lothar Lindemann
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Discovery Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, and Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center Basel, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Peter J Flor
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Nicole Uschold-Schmidt
- Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Koch CE, Bartlang MS, Kiehn JT, Lucke L, Naujokat N, Helfrich-Förster C, Reber SO, Oster H. Time-of-day-dependent adaptation of the HPA axis to predictable social defeat stress. J Endocrinol 2016; 231:209-221. [PMID: 27660201 DOI: 10.1530/joe-16-0163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [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: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In modern societies, the risk of developing a whole array of affective and somatic disorders is associated with the prevalence of frequent psychosocial stress. Therefore, a better understanding of adaptive stress responses and their underlying molecular mechanisms is of high clinical interest. In response to an acute stressor, each organism can either show passive freezing or active fight-or-flight behaviour, with activation of sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis providing the necessary energy for the latter by releasing catecholamines and glucocorticoids (GC). Recent data suggest that stress responses are also regulated by the endogenous circadian clock. In consequence, the timing of stress may critically affect adaptive responses to and/or pathological effects of repetitive stressor exposure. In this article, we characterize the impact of predictable social defeat stress during daytime versus nighttime on bodyweight development and HPA axis activity in mice. While 19 days of social daytime stress led to a transient reduction in bodyweight without altering HPA axis activity at the predicted time of stressor exposure, more detrimental effects were seen in anticipation of nighttime stress. Repeated nighttime stressor exposure led to alterations in food metabolization and reduced HPA axis activity with lower circulating adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and GC concentrations at the time of predicted stressor exposure. Our data reveal a circadian gating of stress adaptation to predictable social defeat stress at the level of the HPA axis with impact on metabolic homeostasis underpinning the importance of timing for the body's adaptability to repetitive stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C E Koch
- University of LübeckChronophysiology Group, Medical Department 1, Lübeck, Germany
| | - M S Bartlang
- University of WürzburgBiocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Neurobiology and Genetics, Würzburg, Germany
| | - J T Kiehn
- University of LübeckChronophysiology Group, Medical Department 1, Lübeck, Germany
| | - L Lucke
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular NeurobiologyUniversity of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - N Naujokat
- University of LübeckChronophysiology Group, Medical Department 1, Lübeck, Germany
| | - C Helfrich-Förster
- University of WürzburgBiocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Neurobiology and Genetics, Würzburg, Germany
| | - S O Reber
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular NeurobiologyUniversity of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - H Oster
- University of LübeckChronophysiology Group, Medical Department 1, Lübeck, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Reber SO, Langgartner D, Foertsch S, Postolache TT, Brenner LA, Guendel H, Lowry CA. Chronic subordinate colony housing paradigm: A mouse model for mechanisms of PTSD vulnerability, targeted prevention, and treatment-2016 Curt Richter Award Paper. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 74:221-230. [PMID: 27676359 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
There is considerable individual variability in vulnerability for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); evidence suggests that this variability is related in part to genetic and environmental factors, including adverse early life experience. Interestingly, recent studies indicate that induction of chronic low-grade inflammation may be a common mechanism underlying gene and environment interactions that increase the risk for development of PTSD symptoms, and, therefore, may be a target for novel interventions for prevention or treatment of PTSD. Development of murine models with face, construct, and predictive validity would provide opportunities to investigate in detail complex genetic, environmental, endocrine, and immunologic factors that determine vulnerability to PTSD-like syndromes, and furthermore may provide mechanistic insight leading to development of novel interventions for both prevention and treatment of PTSD symptoms. Here we describe the potential use of the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm in mice as an adequate animal model for development of a PTSD-like syndrome and describe recent studies that suggest novel interventions for the prevention and treatment of PTSD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Sandra Foertsch
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Teodor T Postolache
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, MD 21201, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO 80220, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO 80220, USA.
| | - Lisa A Brenner
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO 80220, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO 80220, USA.
| | - Harald Guendel
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO 80220, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO 80220, USA; Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Lowry CA, Smith DG, Siebler PH, Schmidt D, Stamper CE, Hassell JE, Yamashita PS, Fox JH, Reber SO, Brenner LA, Hoisington AJ, Postolache TT, Kinney KA, Marciani D, Hernandez M, Hemmings SMJ, Malan-Muller S, Wright KP, Knight R, Raison CL, Rook GAW. The Microbiota, Immunoregulation, and Mental Health: Implications for Public Health. Curr Environ Health Rep 2016; 3:270-86. [PMID: 27436048 PMCID: PMC5763918 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-016-0100-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The hygiene or "Old Friends" hypothesis proposes that the epidemic of inflammatory disease in modern urban societies stems at least in part from reduced exposure to microbes that normally prime mammalian immunoregulatory circuits and suppress inappropriate inflammation. Such diseases include but are not limited to allergies and asthma; we and others have proposed that the markedly reduced exposure to these Old Friends in modern urban societies may also increase vulnerability to neurodevelopmental disorders and stress-related psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and affective disorders, where data are emerging in support of inflammation as a risk factor. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the potential for Old Friends, including environmental microbial inputs, to modify risk for inflammatory disease, with a focus on neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions. We highlight potential mechanisms, involving bacterially derived metabolites, bacterial antigens, and helminthic antigens, through which these inputs promote immunoregulation. Though findings are encouraging, significant human subjects' research is required to evaluate the potential impact of Old Friends, including environmental microbial inputs, on biological signatures and clinically meaningful mental health prevention and intervention outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1725 Pleasant Street, Boulder, CO, 80309-0354, USA.
| | - David G Smith
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1725 Pleasant Street, Boulder, CO, 80309-0354, USA
| | - Philip H Siebler
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1725 Pleasant Street, Boulder, CO, 80309-0354, USA
| | - Dominic Schmidt
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1725 Pleasant Street, Boulder, CO, 80309-0354, USA
| | - Christopher E Stamper
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1725 Pleasant Street, Boulder, CO, 80309-0354, USA
| | - James E Hassell
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1725 Pleasant Street, Boulder, CO, 80309-0354, USA
| | - Paula S Yamashita
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1725 Pleasant Street, Boulder, CO, 80309-0354, USA
| | - James H Fox
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1725 Pleasant Street, Boulder, CO, 80309-0354, USA
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, D-89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lisa A Brenner
- Departments of Psychiatry, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, Anschutz School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 19, Denver, CO, 80220, USA
| | - Andrew J Hoisington
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, 80840, USA
| | - Teodor T Postolache
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Rocky Mountain MIRECC, Denver, CO, 80220, USA
- VISN 5 MIRECC, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Kerry A Kinney
- Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | | | - Mark Hernandez
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Sian M J Hemmings
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa
| | - Stefanie Malan-Muller
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa
| | - Kenneth P Wright
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1725 Pleasant Street, Boulder, CO, 80309-0354, USA
| | - Rob Knight
- Departments of Pediatrics and Computer Science and Engineering, and Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Charles L Raison
- School of Human Ecology and School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Graham A W Rook
- Center for Clinical Microbiology, UCL (University College London), WC1E 6BT, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Schmidt D, Peterlik D, Reber SO, Lechner A, Männel DN. Induction of Suppressor Cells and Increased Tumor Growth following Chronic Psychosocial Stress in Male Mice. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0159059. [PMID: 27391954 PMCID: PMC4938385 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
To study the impact of psychosocial stress on the immune system, male mice were subjected to chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC), a preclinically validated mouse model for chronic psychosocial stress. CSC substantially affected the cell composition of the bone marrow, blood, and spleen by inducing myelopoiesis and enhancing the frequency of regulatory T cells in the CD4 population. Expansion of the myeloid cell compartment was due to cells identified as immature inflammatory myeloid cells having the phenotype of myeloid-derived suppressor cells of either the granulocytic or the monocytic type. Catecholaminergic as well as TNF signaling were implicated in these CSC-induced cellular shifts. Although the frequency of regulatory cells was enhanced following CSC, the high capacity for inflammatory cytokine secretion of total splenocytes indicated an inflammatory immune status in CSC mice. Furthermore, CSC enhanced the suppressive activity of bone marrow-derived myeloid-derived suppressor cells towards proliferating T cells. In line with the occurrence of suppressor cell types such as regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, transplanted syngeneic fibrosarcoma cells grew better in CSC mice than in controls, a process accompanied by pronounced angiogenesis and clustering of immature myeloid cells in the tumor tissue. In addition, tumor implantation after CSC reinforced the CSC-induced increase in myeloid-derived suppressor cells and regulatory T cell frequencies while the CSC-induced cellular changes eased off in mice without tumor. Together, our data suggest a role for suppressor cells such as regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the enhanced tumor growth after chronic psychosocial stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Schmidt
- Institute of Immunology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Peterlik
- Institute of Zoology, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anja Lechner
- Institute of Immunology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Daniela N. Männel
- Institute of Immunology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Füchsl AM, Reber SO. Chronic Psychosocial Stress and Negative Feedback Inhibition: Enhanced Hippocampal Glucocorticoid Signaling despite Lower Cytoplasmic GR Expression. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153164. [PMID: 27057751 PMCID: PMC4825929 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC), a pre-clinically validated mouse model for chronic psychosocial stress, results in increased basal and acute stress-induced plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels. We assessed CSC effects on hippocampal glucocorticoid (GC) receptor (GR), mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), and FK506 binding protein (FKBP51) expression, acute heterotypic stressor-induced GR translocation, as well as GC effects on gene expression and cell viability in isolated hippocampal cells. CSC mice showed decreased GR mRNA and cytoplasmic protein levels compared with single-housed control (SHC) mice. Basal and acute stress-induced nuclear GR protein expression were comparable between CSC and SHC mice, as were MR and FKBP51 mRNA and/or cytoplasmic protein levels. In vitro the effect of corticosterone (CORT) on hippocampal cell viability and gene transcription was more pronounced in CSC versus SHC mice. In summary, CSC mice show an, if at all, increased hippocampal GC signaling capacity despite lower cytoplasmic GR protein expression, making negative feedback deficits in the hippocampus unlikely to contribute to the increased ACTH drive following CSC.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/blood
- Animals
- Cell Count
- Cell Nucleus/metabolism
- Corticosterone/blood
- Corticosterone/pharmacology
- Cytoplasm/metabolism
- Feedback, Physiological
- Hippocampus/drug effects
- Hippocampus/metabolism
- Hippocampus/pathology
- In Vitro Techniques
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Organ Size
- Period Circadian Proteins/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Receptors, Glucocorticoid/genetics
- Receptors, Glucocorticoid/metabolism
- Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/genetics
- Receptors, Mineralocorticoid/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Stress, Psychological/genetics
- Stress, Psychological/metabolism
- Stress, Psychological/pathology
- Tacrolimus Binding Proteins/genetics
- Tacrolimus Binding Proteins/metabolism
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M. Füchsl
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Reber SO, Slattery DA. Editorial: Using Stress-Based Animal Models to Understand the Mechanisms Underlying Psychiatric and Somatic Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2016; 7:192. [PMID: 27990126 PMCID: PMC5130986 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm , Ulm , Germany
| | - David A Slattery
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt , Frankfurt am Main , Germany
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Langgartner D, Füchsl AM, Uschold-Schmidt N, Slattery DA, Reber SO. Chronic subordinate colony housing paradigm: a mouse model to characterize the consequences of insufficient glucocorticoid signaling. Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:18. [PMID: 25755645 PMCID: PMC4337237 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic, in particular chronic psychosocial, stress is a burden of modern societies and known to be a risk factor for numerous somatic and affective disorders (in detail referenced below). However, based on the limited existence of appropriate, and clinically relevant, animal models for studying the effects of chronic stress, the detailed behavioral, physiological, neuronal, and immunological mechanisms linking stress and such disorders are insufficiently understood. To date, most chronic stress studies in animals employ intermittent exposure to the same (homotypic) or to different (heterotypic) stressors of varying duration and intensity. Such models are only of limited value, since they do not adequately reflect the chronic and continuous situation that humans typically experience. Furthermore, application of different physical or psychological stimuli renders comparisons to the mainly psychosocial stressors faced by humans, as well as between the different stress studies almost impossible. In contrast, rodent models of chronic psychosocial stress represent situations more akin to those faced by humans and consequently seem to hold more clinical relevance. Our laboratory has developed a model in which mice are exposed to social stress for 19 continuous days, namely the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm, to help bridge this gap. The main aim of the current review article is to provide a detailed summary of the behavioral, physiological, neuronal, and immunological consequences of the CSC paradigm, and wherever possible relate the findings to other stress models and to the human situation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andrea M. Füchsl
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Nicole Uschold-Schmidt
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - David A. Slattery
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan O. Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Bartlang MS, Savelyev SA, Johansson AS, Reber SO, Helfrich-Förster C, Lundkvist GBS. Repeated psychosocial stress at night, but not day, affects the central molecular clock. Chronobiol Int 2014; 31:996-1007. [PMID: 25051430 DOI: 10.3109/07420528.2014.940085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
We have recently demonstrated that the outcome of repeated social defeat (SD) on behavior, physiology and immunology is more negative when applied during the dark/active phase as compared with the light/inactive phase of male C57BL/6 mice. Here, we investigated the effects of the same stress paradigm, which combines a psychosocial and novelty stressor, on the circadian clock in transgenic PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE (PER2::LUC) and wildtype (WT) mice by subjecting them to repeated SD, either in the early light phase (social defeat light = SDL) or in the early dark phase (social defeat dark = SDD) across 19 days. The PER2::LUC rhythms and clock gene mRNA expression were analyzed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the adrenal gland, and PER2 protein expression in the SCN was assessed. SDD mice showed increased PER2::LUC rhythm amplitude in the SCN, reduced Per2 and Cryptochrome1 mRNA expression in the adrenal gland, and increased PER2 protein expression in the posterior part of the SCN compared with single-housed control (SHC) and SDL mice. In contrast, PER2::LUC rhythms in the SCN of SDL mice were not affected. However, SDL mice exhibited a 2-hour phase advance of the PER2::LUC rhythm in the adrenal gland compared to SHC mice. Furthermore, plasma levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and BDNF mRNA in the SCN were elevated in SDL mice. Taken together, these results show that the SCN molecular rhythmicity is affected by repeated SDD, but not SDL, while the adrenal peripheral clock is influenced mainly by SDL. The observed increase in BDNF in the SDL group may act to protect against the negative consequences of repeated psychosocial stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela S Bartlang
- Department of Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg , Würzburg , Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Peters S, Slattery DA, Uschold-Schmidt N, Reber SO, Neumann ID. Dose-dependent effects of chronic central infusion of oxytocin on anxiety, oxytocin receptor binding and stress-related parameters in mice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 42:225-36. [PMID: 24636519 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [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: 12/06/2013] [Revised: 01/23/2014] [Accepted: 01/23/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Chronic psychosocial stress is a recognized risk factor for various affective and somatic disorders. In an established murine model of chronic psychosocial stress, exposure to chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) results in an alteration of physiological, behavioral, neuroendocrine and immunological parameters, including a long-lasting increase in anxiety, adrenal hypertrophy and thymus atrophy. Based on the stress-protective and anxiolytic properties of oxytocin (OXT) after acute administration in rodents and humans, the major aims of our study were to assess whether chronic administration of OXT dose-dependently affects the behavior and physiology of male mice, as for therapeutic use in humans, mostly chronic treatment approaches will be used. Further, we studied, whether chronic administration during CSC prevents stress-induced consequences. Our results indicate that chronic intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of OXT (15 days) at high (10ng/h), but not at low (1ng/h) dose, induces an anxiogenic phenotype with a concomitant reduction of OXT receptor (OXTR) binding within the septum, the basolateral and medial amygdala, as well as the median raphe nucleus. Further, we demonstrate that chronic ICV infusion of OXT (1ng/h) during a 19-day CSC exposure prevents the hyper-anxiety, thymus atrophy, adrenal hypertrophy, and decreased in vitro adrenal ACTH sensitivity. Thus, given both negative, but also beneficial effects seen after chronic OXT treatment, which appear to be dose-dependent, a deeper understanding of long-lasting treatment effects is required before OXT can be considered for long-term therapeutic use for the treatment of psychopathologies such as autism, schizophrenia or anxiety-disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Peters
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - David A Slattery
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Uschold-Schmidt
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Forkwa TK, Neumann ID, Tamm ER, Ohlmann A, Reber SO. Short-term psychosocial stress protects photoreceptors from damage via corticosterone-mediated activation of the AKT pathway. Exp Neurol 2014; 252:28-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2013] [Revised: 11/09/2013] [Accepted: 11/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
|
49
|
Abstract
Chronic psychosocial stress is a risk factor for the development of affective as well as somatic disorders. However, vulnerability to adverse stress effects varies between individuals, with previous negative life events along with genetic predisposition playing a major role. In support, we previously showed that the consequences of chronic psychosocial stress induced by chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC, 19 days) can be amplified by pre-exposing mice to repeated maternal separation during early life. To test the significance of the genetic predisposition on the effects of CSC, mice selectively bred for high (mHAB) and low (mLAB) anxiety-related behavior and nonselected CD1 mice (mNAB) were exposed to CSC in the present study. In confirmation of our previous results, CSC mice of both mHAB and mNAB lines displayed chronic stress-related symptoms including increased adrenal weight, decreased adrenal in vitro ACTH sensitivity, lower plasma corticosterone to ACTH ratio, and increased interferon-γ secretion from isolated mesenteric lymph node cells compared with single-housed controls of the respective line. However, the CSC-induced anxiogenic effect found in mNAB was not confirmed in mHAB mice, possibly due to a ceiling effect in these highly anxious mice. Interestingly, mHAB were not more vulnerable to CSC than mNAB mice, whereas mLAB mice were resilient to CSC as indicated by all of the above mentioned parameters assessed. Taken together, our findings indicate that the genetic predisposition, in this case the innate anxiety of an individual, affects vulnerability to chronic psychosocial stress, with a low-anxiety phenotype mediating resilience to both affective and somatic consequences of CSC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M Füchsl
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology (A.M.F., I.D.N., S.O.R.), University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; and Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics (S.O.R.), Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Czech B, Neumann ID, Müller M, Reber SO, Hellerbrand C. Effect of chronic psychosocial stress on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in mice. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 2013; 6:1585-1593. [PMID: 23923077 PMCID: PMC3726974] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by hepatic lipid accumulation which may progress towards inflammation (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)). NAFLD is regarded as a consequence of a sedentary, food-abundant lifestyle which, in the modern world, often coincides with chronically high levels of perceived psychosocial stress. Here, we aimed to characterize the effect of chronic psychosocial stress on the development of NAFLD/NASH in male mice either fed with standard chow or NASH-inducing high fat diet. Chronic psychosocial stress was induced by chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC), a pre-clinically validated paradigm relevant for human affective and somatic disorders. Single housed (SHC) mice served as controls. Under standard chow conditions CSC mice revealed lower hepatic triglyceride levels but higher hepatic TNFα, MCP-1 and HMOX mRNA expression, while serum transaminase levels did not significantly differ from SHC mice. Under the NASH-inducing high-fat diet CSC and SHC mice showed similar body weight-gain and serum levels of glucose and adiponectin. Moreover, liver histology as well as TNFα, MCP-1 and HMOX expression were similar in CSC and SHC mice fed with HFD. Surprisingly, CSC showed even significantly lower transaminase levels than SHC mice fed with the same NASH-inducing diet. Together, these data indicate that under normal dietary conditions the CSC model induces noticeable hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation without causing manifest hepatocellular injury. In contrast, CSC exhibited a protective effect on hepatocellular injury in a dietary NASH-model. Identification of the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon may lead to novel therapeutic strategies to prevent progression of NAFLD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Czech
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital RegensburgGermany
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Zoology, University of RegensburgGermany
| | - Martina Müller
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital RegensburgGermany
| | - Stefan O Reber
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Zoology, University of RegensburgGermany
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of UlmGermany
| | - Claus Hellerbrand
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital RegensburgGermany
| |
Collapse
|