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Bernabe CS, Caliman IF, de Abreu ARR, Molosh AI, Truitt WA, Shekhar A, Johnson PL. Identification of a novel perifornical-hypothalamic-area-projecting serotonergic system that inhibits innate panic and conditioned fear responses. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:60. [PMID: 38272876 PMCID: PMC10811332 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02769-3] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The serotonin (5-HT) system is heavily implicated in the regulation of anxiety and trauma-related disorders such as panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, respectively. However, the neural mechanisms of how serotonergic neurotransmission regulates innate panic and fear brain networks are poorly understood. Our earlier studies have identified that orexin (OX)/glutamate neurons within the perifornical hypothalamic area (PFA) play a critical role in adaptive and pathological panic and fear. While site-specific and electrophysiological studies have shown that intracranial injection and bath application of 5-HT inhibits PFA neurons via 5-HT1a receptors, they largely ignore circuit-specific neurotransmission and its physiological properties that occur in vivo. Here, we investigate the role of raphe nuclei 5-HT inputs into the PFA in panic and fear behaviors. We initially confirmed that photostimulation of glutamatergic neurons in the PFA of rats produces robust cardioexcitation and flight/aversive behaviors resembling panic-like responses. Using the retrograde tracer cholera toxin B, we determined that the PFA receives discrete innervation of serotonergic neurons clustered in the lateral wings of the dorsal (lwDRN) and in the median (MRN) raphe nuclei. Selective lesions of these serotonergic projections with saporin toxin resulted in similar panic-like responses during the suffocation-related CO2 challenge and increased freezing to fear-conditioning paradigm. Conversely, selective stimulation of serotonergic fibers in the PFA attenuated both flight/escape behaviors and cardioexcitation responses elicited by the CO2 challenge and induced conditioned place preference. The data here support the hypothesis that PFA projecting 5-HT neurons in the lwDRN/MRN represents a panic/fear-off circuit and may also play a role in reward behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian S Bernabe
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology & Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | - Izabela F Caliman
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Aline R R de Abreu
- Departamento de Alimentos, Escola de Nutrição da Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Andrei I Molosh
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - William A Truitt
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology & Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | - Anantha Shekhar
- School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Philip L Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
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Bernabe CS, Caliman IF, Truitt WA, Molosh AI, Lowry CA, Hay-Schmidt A, Shekhar A, Johnson PL. Using loss- and gain-of-function approaches to target amygdala-projecting serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus that enhance anxiety-related and conditioned fear behaviors. J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:400-411. [PMID: 32153226 PMCID: PMC9678127 DOI: 10.1177/0269881119900981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The central serotonergic system originating from the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) plays a critical role in anxiety and trauma-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder. Although many studies have investigated the role of serotonin (5-HT) within pro-fear brain regions such as the amygdala, the majority of these studies have utilized non-selective pharmacological approaches or poorly understood lesioning techniques which limit their interpretation. AIM Here we investigated the role of amygdala-projecting 5-HT neurons in the DR in innate anxiety and conditioned fear behaviors. METHODS To achieve this goal, we utilized (1) selective lesion of 5-HT neurons projecting to the amygdala with saporin toxin conjugated to anti-serotonin transporter (SERT) injected into the amygdala, and (2) optogenetic excitation of amygdala-projecting DR cell bodies with a combination of a retrogradely transported canine adenovirus-expressing Cre-recombinase injected into the amygdala and a Cre-dependent-channelrhodopsin injected into the DR. RESULTS While saporin treatment lesioned both local amygdalar 5-HT fibers and neurons in the DR as well as reduced conditioned fear behavior, optical activation of amygdala-projecting DR neurons enhanced anxious behavior and conditioned fear response. CONCLUSION Collectively, these studies support the hypothesis that amygdala-projecting 5-HT neurons in the DR represent an anxiety and fear-on network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian S. Bernabe
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA,Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Izabela F. Caliman
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - William A. Truitt
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA,Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Andrei I. Molosh
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Christopher A. Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Anantha Shekhar
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Philip L. Johnson
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA,Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Dustrude ET, Caliman IF, Bernabe CS, Fitz SD, Grafe LA, Bhatnagar S, Bonaventure P, Johnson PL, Molosh AI, Shekhar A. Orexin Depolarizes Central Amygdala Neurons via Orexin Receptor 1, Phospholipase C and Sodium-Calcium Exchanger and Modulates Conditioned Fear. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:934. [PMID: 30618563 PMCID: PMC6305451 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Orexins (OX), also known as hypocretins, are excitatory neuropeptides with well-described roles in regulation of wakefulness, arousal, energy homeostasis, and anxiety. An additional and recently recognized role of OX is modulation of fear responses. We studied the OX neurons of the perifornical hypothalamus (PeF) which send projections to the amygdala, a region critical in fear learning and fear expression. Within the amygdala, the highest density of OX-positive fibers was detected in the central nucleus (CeA). The specific mechanisms underlying OX neurotransmission within the CeA were explored utilizing rat brain slice electrophysiology, pharmacology, and chemogenetic stimulation. We show that OX induces postsynaptic depolarization of medial CeA neurons that is mediated by OX receptor 1 (OXR1) but not OX receptor 2 (OXR2). We further characterized the mechanism of CeA depolarization by OX as phospholipase C (PLC)- and sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX)- dependent. Selective chemogenetic stimulation of OX PeF fibers recapitulated OXR1 dependent depolarization of CeA neurons. We also observed that OXR1 activity modified presynaptic release of glutamate within the CeA. Finally, either systemic or intra-CeA perfusion of OXR1 antagonist reduced the expression of conditioned fear. Together, these data suggest the PeF-CeA orexinergic pathway can modulate conditioned fear through a signal transduction mechanism involving PLC and NCX activity and that selective OXR1 antagonism may be a putative treatment for fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik T Dustrude
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Paul and Carole Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Izabela F Caliman
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Cristian S Bernabe
- Paul and Carole Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Program in Medical Neuroscience, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Stephanie D Fitz
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Laura A Grafe
- Department Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Seema Bhatnagar
- Department Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Philip L Johnson
- Paul and Carole Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Andrei I Molosh
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Paul and Carole Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Anantha Shekhar
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Paul and Carole Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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Caliman IF, Bernabe CS, de Melo AF, Brasil GA, do Nascimento AM, de Lima EM, Figueiredo SG, de Andrade TU, Bissoli NS. Long-term treatment with Nandrolone Decanoate impairs mesenteric vascular relaxation in both sedentary and exercised female rats. Steroids 2017; 120:7-18. [PMID: 28192127 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 06/11/2016] [Revised: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Nandrolone Decanoate (ND) is an Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (AAS) that under abusive regimen can lead to multiple physiological adverse effects. Studies of AAS-mediated cardiovascular (CV) alterations were mostly taken from male subjects, even though women are also susceptible to the effects of AAS and gender-specific differences in susceptibility to vascular diseases exist. Here we investigate ND-induced vascular reactivity alterations in both sedentary and exercised female rats and whether these alterations depend on endothelium-derived factors. We show that chronic exposure of female Wistar rats to ND (20mg/Kg/week for 4weeks) impaired the vascular mesenteric bed (MVB) reactivity to vasodilator (acetylcholine) agonist. The endothelium-dependent Nitric Oxide (NO) component was reduced in ND-treated rats, whereas neither the endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) component nor prostanoids were altered in the MVBs. Endothelial dysfunction observed in ND-treated rats was associated with decreased eNOS (Ser1177) and Akt (Ser473) phosphorylation sites and upregulation of iNOS and NADPH oxidase expression. Exercise training by weight lifting in water did not improve the vascular alterations induced by ND treatment. ND treatment also significantly reduced the serum levels of estradiol in females, overriding its CV protective effect. These results help uncover the role of ND modulating endothelial function in the setting of CV disease caused by the abuse of AAS in females. If this translates to humans, young women abusing AAS can potentially lose the cardio protective effect rendered by estrogen and be more susceptible to CV alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela F Caliman
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil.
| | - Cristian S Bernabe
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Paul and Carole Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Program in Medical Neurosciences, Paul and Carole Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Antônio F de Melo
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil
| | - Girlândia A Brasil
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil
| | - Andrews M do Nascimento
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil
| | - Ewelyne M de Lima
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vila Velha, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil
| | - Suely G Figueiredo
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil
| | - Tadeu U de Andrade
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vila Velha, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil
| | - Nazaré S Bissoli
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil
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