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Cesari E, Farini D, Medici V, Ehrmann I, Guerra M, Testa E, Naro C, Geloso MC, Pagliarini V, La Barbera L, D’Amelio M, Orsini T, Vecchioli SF, Tamagnone L, Fort P, Viscomi MT, Elliott DJ, Sette C. Differential expression of paralog RNA binding proteins establishes a dynamic splicing program required for normal cerebral cortex development. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:4167-4184. [PMID: 38324473 PMCID: PMC11077083 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Sam68 and SLM2 are paralog RNA binding proteins (RBPs) expressed in the cerebral cortex and display similar splicing activities. However, their relative functions during cortical development are unknown. We found that these RBPs exhibit an opposite expression pattern during development. Sam68 expression declines postnatally while SLM2 increases after birth, and this developmental pattern is reinforced by hierarchical control of Sam68 expression by SLM2. Analysis of Sam68:Slm2 double knockout (Sam68:Slm2dko) mice revealed hundreds of exons that respond to joint depletion of these proteins. Moreover, parallel analysis of single and double knockout cortices indicated that exons regulated mainly by SLM2 are characterized by a dynamic splicing pattern during development, whereas Sam68-dependent exons are spliced at relatively constant rates. Dynamic splicing of SLM2-sensitive exons is completely suppressed in the Sam68:Slm2dko developing cortex. Sam68:Slm2dko mice die perinatally with defects in neurogenesis and in neuronal differentiation, and develop a hydrocephalus, consistent with splicing alterations in genes related to these biological processes. Thus, our study reveals that developmental control of separate Sam68 and Slm2 paralog genes encoding homologous RBPs enables the orchestration of a dynamic splicing program needed for brain development and viability, while ensuring a robust redundant mechanism that supports proper cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Cesari
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Donatella Farini
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Vanessa Medici
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Ingrid Ehrmann
- Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle University Institute of Biosciences, Newcastle NE1 3BZ, UK
| | - Marika Guerra
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Erika Testa
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Section of Histology and Embryology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome
| | - Chiara Naro
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Concetta Geloso
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Vittoria Pagliarini
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Livia La Barbera
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello D’Amelio
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Tiziana Orsini
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC/CNR), Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Farioli Vecchioli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC/CNR), Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Tamagnone
- Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Section of Histology and Embryology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome
| | - Philippe Fort
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Maria Teresa Viscomi
- Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Section of Histology and Embryology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome
| | - David J Elliott
- Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle University Institute of Biosciences, Newcastle NE1 3BZ, UK
| | - Claudio Sette
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy
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Mastrorilli V, Farioli Vecchioli S. Physical exercise and traumatic brain injury: is it question of time? Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:475-476. [PMID: 37721260 PMCID: PMC10581552 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.380888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Mastrorilli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC/CNR), Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
- Plaisant S.R.L., Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Farioli Vecchioli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC/CNR), Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
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La Rosa P, Bartoli G, Farioli Vecchioli S, Cesari E, Pagliarini V, Sette C. Androgen Receptor signaling promotes the neural progenitor cell pool in the developing cortex. J Neurochem 2020; 157:1153-1166. [PMID: 32959393 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Neural Progenitor Cells (NPCs) are multipotent cells that are able to self-renew and differentiate into neurons. The size of the initial pool of NPCs during the brain development strongly affects the number of neurons that compose cortical multi-layer during development. Gonadal hormones can influence the balance between self-renewal and differentiation processes. Herein, we investigated the role of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the active metabolite of testosterone, in the regulation of NPC stemness and differentiation. First, we evaluated the expression of the androgen receptor (AR), the transcription factor activated by DHT that mediates the physiological effects of androgens, in NPCs. Western blot analysis showed that DHT-mediated activation of AR induces mitogenic signaling pathways (PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK) in NPCs, whereas luciferase activity assays demonstrated the induction of AR transcriptional activity. AR activation mediated by DHT treatment strongly increased the proliferation of NPCs and reduced their propensity to differentiate into neurons. Furthermore, the effects of AR activation were mediated, at least in part, by increased expression of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family Member A3 enzyme (ALDH1A3). Pharmacological inhibition of ALDH activity with N,N-diethylaminobenzaldehyde (DEAB) reduced the effect of DHT on NPC proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, inhibition of AR activity by Enzalutamide reduced the NPC pool in the developing cortex of male C57/BL6 mouse embryos. These findings indicate that androgens engage an AR-dependent signaling pathway that impact on neurogenesis by increasing the NPC pool in the developing mouse cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piergiorgio La Rosa
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuroembryology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Bartoli
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Eleonora Cesari
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, Rome, Italy
| | - Vittoria Pagliarini
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Sette
- Laboratory of Neuroembryology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
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Farioli Vecchioli S, Sacchetti S, Nicolis di Robilant V, Cutuli D. The Role of Physical Exercise and Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Depressive Illness in the Elderly. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 16:308-326. [PMID: 28901279 PMCID: PMC5843982 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x15666170912113852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2017] [Revised: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: In adulthood, depression is the most common type of mental illness and will be the second leading cause of disease by 2020. Major depression dramatically affects the function of the central nervous system and degrades the quality of life, especially in old age. Several mechanisms underlie the pathophysiology of depressive illness, since it has a multifactorial etiology. Human and an-imal studies have demonstrated that depression is mainly associated with imbalances in neurotransmitters and neurotrophins, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis alterations, brain volume changes, neurogenesis dysfunction, and dysregulation of in-flammatory pathways. Also the gut microbiota may influence mental health outcomes. Although depression is not a consequence of normal aging, depressive disorders are common in later life, even if often undi-agnosed or mis-diagnosed in old age. When untreated, depression reduces life expectancy, worsens medical illnesses, en-hances health care costs and is the primary cause of suicide among older people. To date, the underpinnings of depression in the elderly are still to be understood, and the pharmacological treatment is the most commonly used therapy. Objective: Since a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits have recently emerged as crucial contributors to the genesis and course of depression, in the present review, we have focused on the effects of physical activity and omega-3 fatty acids on depressive illness in the elderly. Results: A growing literature indicates that both exercise and dietary interventions can promote mental health throughout one’s lifespan. Conclusion: There thus emerges the awareness that an active lifestyle and a balanced diet may constitute valid low-cost pre-vention strategies to counteract depressive illness in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Farioli Vecchioli
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, CNR/Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Sacchetti
- Laboratory of Experimental and Behavioral Neurophysiology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy.,Department of Psychology, University Sapienza of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - V Nicolis di Robilant
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, CNR/Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Debora Cutuli
- Laboratory of Experimental and Behavioral Neurophysiology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy.,Department of Psychology, University Sapienza of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
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Cutuli D, Berretta E, Caporali P, Sampedro-Piquero P, De Bartolo P, Laricchiuta D, Gelfo F, Pesoli M, Foti F, Farioli Vecchioli S, Petrosini L. Effects of pre-reproductive maternal enrichment on maternal care, offspring's play behavior and oxytocinergic neurons. Neuropharmacology 2018; 145:99-113. [PMID: 29462694 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Potentiating social, cognitive, and sensorimotor stimulations the Environmental Enrichment (EE) increases levels of novelty and complexity experienced by individuals. Growing evidence demonstrates that parental EE experience, even occurring in the pre-reproductive phase, affects behavioral and neural developmental trajectories of the offspring. To discover how the accumulation of early maternal complex experiences may inform and shape the social behavior of the following generation, we examined the effects of pre-reproductive enrichment of dams (post-natal days 21-72) on the play performances of their male and female adolescent offspring. Furthermore, we examined the effects of pre-reproductive enrichment on maternal behavior (during post-partum days 1-10) and male intruder aggression (on post-partum day 11). Since oxytocin modulates maternal care, social bonding, and agonistic behavior, the number of oxytocinergic neurons of the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei was examined in both dams and offspring. Results revealed that enriched females exhibited higher levels of pup-oriented behaviors, especially Crouching, and initiated pup-retrieval more quickly than standard females after the maternal aggression test. Such behavioral peculiarities were accompanied by increased levels of oxytocinergic neurons in PVN and SON. Moreover, pre-reproductive maternal EE cross-generationally influenced the offspring according to sex. Indeed, male pups born to enriched females exhibited a reduced play fighting associated with a higher number of oxytocinergic neurons in SON in comparison to male pups born to standard-housed females. In conclusion, pre-reproductive EE to the mothers affects their maternal care and has a cross-generational impact on the social behavior of their offspring that do not directly experiences EE. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "Neurobiology of Environmental Enrichment".
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora Cutuli
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
| | - Erica Berretta
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Caporali
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Patricia Sampedro-Piquero
- Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología de las Ciencias del Comportamiento. Facultad de Psicología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Spain
| | - Paola De Bartolo
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; Department of TeCoS, Guglielmo Marconi University, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Laricchiuta
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Gelfo
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; Department of TeCoS, Guglielmo Marconi University, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Pesoli
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; Department of Motor Science and Wellness, University Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Foti
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | - Laura Petrosini
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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La Rosa P, Bielli P, Compagnucci C, Cesari E, Volpe E, Farioli Vecchioli S, Sette C. Sam68 promotes self-renewal and glycolytic metabolism in mouse neural progenitor cells by modulating Aldh1a3 pre-mRNA 3'-end processing. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27845622 PMCID: PMC5122457 DOI: 10.7554/elife.20750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [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: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The balance between self-renewal and differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) dictates neurogenesis and proper brain development. We found that the RNA- binding protein Sam68 (Khdrbs1) is strongly expressed in neurogenic areas of the neocortex and supports the self-renewing potential of mouse NPCs. Knockout of Khdrbs1 constricted the pool of proliferating NPCs by accelerating their cell cycle exit and differentiation into post-mitotic neurons. Sam68 function was linked to regulation of Aldh1a3 pre-mRNA 3'-end processing. Binding of Sam68 to an intronic polyadenylation site prevents its recognition and premature transcript termination, favoring expression of a functional enzyme. The lower ALDH1A3 expression and activity in Khdrbs1-/- NPCs results in reduced glycolysis and clonogenicity, thus depleting the embryonic NPC pool and limiting cortical expansion. Our study identifies Sam68 as a key regulator of NPC self-renewal and establishes a novel link between modulation of ALDH1A3 expression and maintenance of high glycolytic metabolism in the developing cortex. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20750.001 Neurons develop from cells called neural progenitors. These cells can either divide to produce more progenitor cells or develop into specific types of neurons. These two activities – known as self-renewal and differentiation – must be balanced to produce the right number of specialized neurons, without depleting the pool of progenitor cells. The self-renewal and differentiation of progenitor cells is balanced by essentially regulating which genes are active, or expressed, within the cells. In the first step of gene expression, the genetic instructions are copied to form a molecule of pre-messenger RNA (or pre-mRNA for short). Each pre-mRNA molecule is then processed to produce a final product that can be translated into protein. Importantly, two copies of the same pre-mRNA may sometimes be processed in different ways, which allows multiple proteins to be produced from a single gene. RNA-binding proteins control pre-mRNA processing. The expression of one such protein, called Sam68, oscillates during the development of the nervous system, such that its expression peaks when there is intense production of new neurons and then declines. However, it was not known whether Sam68 actually helps neurons to develop. La Rosa et al. have now analysed the role of Sam68 in the developing brain of mice. The experiments confirmed that Sam68 is highly expressed in neural progenitor cells and showed that its levels dictate the cell’s fate: high expression encourages a cell to self-renew, while low expression triggers it to develop into a specialized neuron. Further investigation revealed that Sam68 works by promoting the expression of a metabolic enzyme called Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1A3 or ALDH1A3. This enzyme promotes the release of energy from molecules of glucose via a process known as anaerobic glycolysis. La Rosa et al. found that cells that lack Sam68 make a truncated version of the pre-mRNA encoding ALDH1A3. This truncated pre-mRNA encodes a shortened version of the enzyme that is inactive. Further experiments confirmed that Sam68 normally prevents this from happening by binding to the pre-mRNA and processing it to produce the full-length, working version of the ALDH1A3 enzyme. Also, La Rosa et al. found that progenitor cells need working ALDH1A3 to keep them dividing, and to stop them from developing into specialized neurons too soon. Finally, because the processing of pre-RNA plays a major role in brain development, problems with this process often lead to intellectual disabilities and neurodegenerative diseases, such as autism spectrum disorder and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The next step following on from these new findings will be to investigate whether defects in Sam68 contribute to such conditions and, if so, to look for ways to counteract these defects. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20750.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Piergiorgio La Rosa
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuroembryology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Pamela Bielli
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuroembryology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Compagnucci
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuroembryology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Cesari
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuroembryology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Volpe
- Laboratory of Neuroimmunology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Claudio Sette
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuroembryology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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Cutuli D, Caporali P, Gelfo F, Angelucci F, Laricchiuta D, Foti F, De Bartolo P, Bisicchia E, Molinari M, Farioli Vecchioli S, Petrosini L. Pre-reproductive maternal enrichment influences rat maternal care and offspring developmental trajectories: behavioral performances and neuroplasticity correlates. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:66. [PMID: 25814946 PMCID: PMC4357301 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE) is a widely used paradigm for investigating the influence of complex stimulations on brain and behavior. Here we examined whether pre-reproductive exposure to EE of female rats may influence their maternal care and offspring cognitive performances. To this aim, from weaning to breeding age enriched females (EF) were reared in enriched environments. Females reared in standard conditions were used as controls. At 2.5 months of age all females were mated and reared in standard conditions with their offspring. Maternal care behaviors and nesting activity were assessed in lactating dams. Their male pups were also behaviorally evaluated at different post-natal days (pnd). Brain BDNF, reelin and adult hippocampal neurogenesis levels were measured as biochemical correlates of neuroplasticity. EF showed more complex maternal care than controls due to their higher levels of licking, crouching and nest building activities. Moreover, their offspring showed higher discriminative (maternal odor preference T-maze, pnd 10) and spatial (Morris Water Maze, pnd 45; Open Field with objects, pnd 55) performances, with no differences in social abilities (Sociability test, pnd 35), in comparison to controls. BDNF levels were increased in EF frontal cortex at pups' weaning and in their offspring hippocampus at pnd 21 and 55. No differences in offspring reelin and adult hippocampal neurogenesis levels were found. In conclusion, our study indicates that pre-reproductive maternal enrichment positively influences female rats' maternal care and cognitive development of their offspring, demonstrating thus a transgenerational transmission of EE benefits linked to enhanced BDNF-induced neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora Cutuli
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Caporali
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Gelfo
- Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy ; Department of Systemic Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Laricchiuta
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Foti
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy
| | - Paola De Bartolo
- Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy ; Department of Sociological and Psychopedagogical Studies, University "Guglielmo Marconi" of Rome Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Laura Petrosini
- Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy
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Abstract
The effect of post-training intradorsal striatal infusion of metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) drugs on memory consolidation processes in an inhibitory avoidance (IA) task and visible/hidden platform water maze tasks was examined. In the IA task, adult male Long-Evans rats received post-training intracaudate infusions of the broad spectrum mGluR antagonist alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG; 1.0, 2.0 mM/0.5 microL), the group I/II mGluR agonist 1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-carboxylic acid (ACPD; 0.5 or 1.0 microM/0.5 microL), or saline immediately following footshock training, and retention was tested 24 h later. In the visible- and hidden-platform water maze tasks, rats received post-training intracaudate infusions of ACPD (1.0 microM), MCPG (2.0 mM), or saline immediately following an eight-trial training session, followed by a retention test 24 h later. In the IA task, post-training infusion of ACPD (0.5 and 1.0 microM) or MCPG (1.0 and 2.0 mM) impaired retention. In the IA and visible-platform water maze tasks, post-training infusion of ACPD (1.0 microM), or MCPG (2.0 mM) impaired retention. In contrast, neither drug affected retention when administered post-training in the hidden-platform task, consistent with the hypothesized role of the dorsal striatum in stimulus-response habit formation. When intradorsal striatal injections were delayed 2 h post-training in the visible-platform water maze task, neither drug affected retention, indicating a time-dependent effect of the immediate post-training injections on memory consolidation. It is hypothesized that MCPG impaired memory via a blockade of postsynaptic dorsal striatal mGluR's, while the impairing effect of ACPD may have been caused by an influence of this agonist on presynaptic "autoreceptor" striatal mGluR populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M G Packard
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8025, USA.
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Stefanini S, Serafini B, Nardacci R, Vecchioli SF, Moreno S, Sartori C. Morphometric analysis of liver and kidney peroxisomes in lactating rats and their pups after treatment with the peroxisomal proliferator di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate. Biol Cell 1995; 85:167-76. [PMID: 8785518 DOI: 10.1016/0248-4900(96)85277-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Di-(2-ethylexyl)phthalate (DEHP) administered to adult lactating rats from delivery to weaning induces age- and organ-specific modifications of the peroxisomal morphometric parameters (VV, NA and D) in the liver and kidney of both rats and their pups. In both tissues, peroxisomal relative volume and catalase biochemical activity show a similar pattern during the development, as well as under DEHP treatment. Morphometric results suggest that two modalities of peroxisomal proliferation exist, involving: a) increases in both number and mean diameter of the organelles; b) a purely numerical increase of the organelles, accompanied by a remarkable decrement in their mean diameter. A peroxisomal population proliferated through the latter model appears unable to return to normal conditions, following treatment withdrawal. These two proliferation systems, the first implying a swelling and the latter a fragmentation of pre-existing peroxisomal profiles, are supposed to be tissue-specific in the adult animal. In particular, in the liver the 'swelling' model appears more suitable to explain peroxisome proliferation, while the kidney this process would follow the 'fragmentation' model. Immature animals might instead show in both organs intermediate features of peroxisomal proliferation modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Stefanini
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Rome, La Sapienza, Italy
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