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Bellia F, Girella A, Annunzi E, Benatti B, Vismara M, Priori A, Festucci F, Fanti F, Compagnone D, Adriani W, Dell'Osso B, D'Addario C. Selective alterations of endocannabinoid system genes expression in obsessive compulsive disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:118. [PMID: 38409080 PMCID: PMC10897168 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02829-8] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is listed as one of the top 10 most disabling neuropsychiatric conditions in the world. The neurobiology of OCD has not been completely understood and efforts are needed in order to develop new treatments. Beside the classical neurotransmitter systems and signalling pathways implicated in OCD, the possible involvement of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) has emerged in pathophysiology of OCD. We report here selective downregulation of the genes coding for enzymes allowing the synthesis of the endocannabinoids. We found reduced DAGLα and NAPE-PLD in blood samples of individuals with OCD (when compared to healthy controls) as well as in the amygdala complex and prefrontal cortex of dopamine transporter (DAT) heterozygous rats, manifesting compulsive behaviours. Also mRNA levels of the genes coding for cannabinoid receptors type 1 and type 2 resulted downregulated, respectively in the rat amygdala and in human blood. Moreover, NAPE-PLD changes in gene expression resulted to be associated with an increase in DNA methylation at gene promoter, and the modulation of this gene in OCD appears to be correlated to the progression of the disease. Finally, the alterations observed in ECS genes expression appears to be correlated with the modulation in oxytocin receptor gene expression, consistently with what recently reported. Overall, we confirm here a role for ECS in OCD at both preclinical and clinical level. Many potential biomarkers are suggested among its components, in particular NAPE-PLD, that might be of help for a prompt and clear diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Bellia
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100, Teramo, Italy
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), University "G. D'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Antonio Girella
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Eugenia Annunzi
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d' Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Beatrice Benatti
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milan, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, 20019, Milan, Italy
- "Aldo Ravelli" Center for Nanotechnology and Neurostimulation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Vismara
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milan, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, 20019, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Priori
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milan, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, 20019, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabiana Festucci
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Federico Fanti
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Dario Compagnone
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Walter Adriani
- Center for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, I-00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milan, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, 20019, Milan, Italy.
- "Aldo Ravelli" Center for Nanotechnology and Neurostimulation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100, Teramo, Italy.
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 10316, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Annunzi E, Cannito L, Bellia F, Mercante F, Vismara M, Benatti B, Di Domenico A, Palumbo R, Adriani W, Dell'Osso B, D'Addario C. Mild internet use is associated with epigenetic alterations of key neurotransmission genes in salivary DNA of young university students. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22192. [PMID: 38092954 PMCID: PMC10719329 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49492-5] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The potentially problematic use of the Internet is a growing concern worldwide, which causes and consequences are not completely understood yet. The neurobiology of Internet addiction (IA) has attracted much attention in scientific research, which is now focusing on identifying measurable biological markers. Aim of this study was to investigate epigenetic and genetic regulation of oxytocin receptor (OXTR), dopamine transporter (DAT1) and serotonin transporter (SERT) genes using DNA obtained from saliva samples of young university students: the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was administered to evaluate the potential existence and intensity of IA. Significant changes in DNA methylation levels at OXTR, DAT1 and SERT genes were observed in the 30 < IAT < 49 group (mild-risk internet users) compared to the IAT < 29 subjects (complete control of internet use) and IAT > 50 subjects (considered as moderately addicted). Moreover, epigenetic markers were significantly correlated, either directly (for OXTR and DAT1) or inversely (OXTR and DAT1 versus SERT), to the psychometric properties. Our data confirmed the association of OXTR, DAT1 and SERT genes in processes related to behavioural addictions and might be of relevance to suggest possible biological predictors of altered behaviours and the eventual vulnerability to develop an IA. Different other genetic pathways have been suggested to play a role in IA and research is ongoing to better define them, in order to help in the early diagnosis as well as in the development of new potential treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Annunzi
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Loreta Cannito
- Department of Humanities, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Fabio Bellia
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100, Teramo, Italy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Francesca Mercante
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Matteo Vismara
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milan, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, 20019, Milan, Italy
| | - Beatrice Benatti
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milan, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, 20019, Milan, Italy
- "Aldo Ravelli" Center for Nanotechnology and Neurostimulation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Di Domenico
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Riccardo Palumbo
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100, Chieti, Italy
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Walter Adriani
- Center for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milan, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, 20019, Milan, Italy
- "Aldo Ravelli" Center for Nanotechnology and Neurostimulation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100, Teramo, Italy.
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 10316, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Rocks D, Jaric I, Bellia F, Cham H, Greally JM, Suzuki M, Kundakovic M. Early-life stress and ovarian hormones alter transcriptional regulation in the nucleus accumbens resulting in sex-specific responses to cocaine. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113187. [PMID: 37777968 PMCID: PMC10753961 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress and ovarian hormones contribute to increased female vulnerability to cocaine addiction. Here, we reveal molecular substrates in the reward area, the nucleus accumbens, through which these female-specific factors affect immediate and conditioning responses to cocaine. We find shared involvement of X chromosome inactivation-related and estrogen signaling-related gene regulation in enhanced conditioning responses following early-life stress and during the low-estrogenic state in females. Low-estrogenic females respond to acute cocaine by opening neuronal chromatin enriched for the sites of ΔFosB, a transcription factor implicated in chronic cocaine response and addiction. Conversely, high-estrogenic females respond to cocaine by preferential chromatin closing, providing a mechanism for limiting cocaine-driven chromatin and synaptic plasticity. We find that physiological estrogen withdrawal, early-life stress, and absence of one X chromosome all nullify the protective effect of a high-estrogenic state on cocaine conditioning in females. Our findings offer a molecular framework to enable understanding of sex-specific neuronal mechanisms underlying cocaine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin Rocks
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Ivana Jaric
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Fabio Bellia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Heining Cham
- Department of Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - John M Greally
- Center for Epigenomics, Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Masako Suzuki
- Center for Epigenomics, Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA.
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D'Addario C, Pucci M, Bellia F, Girella A, Sabatucci A, Fanti F, Vismara M, Benatti B, Ferrara L, Fasciana F, Celebre L, Viganò C, Elli L, Sergi M, Maccarrone M, Buzzelli V, Trezza V, Dell'Osso B. Regulation of oxytocin receptor gene expression in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a possible role for the microbiota-host epigenetic axis. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:47. [PMID: 35361281 PMCID: PMC8973787 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01264-0] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent and severe clinical condition. Robust evidence suggests a gene-environment interplay in its etiopathogenesis, yet the underlying molecular clues remain only partially understood. In order to further deepen our understanding of OCD, it is essential to ascertain how genes interact with environmental risk factors, a cross-talk that is thought to be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. The human microbiota may be a key player, because bacterial metabolites can act as epigenetic modulators. We analyzed, in the blood and saliva of OCD subjects and healthy controls, the transcriptional regulation of the oxytocin receptor gene and, in saliva, also the different levels of major phyla. We also investigated the same molecular mechanisms in specific brain regions of socially isolated rats showing stereotyped behaviors reminiscent of OCD as well as short chain fatty acid levels in the feces of rats. RESULTS Higher levels of oxytocin receptor gene DNA methylation, inversely correlated with gene expression, were observed in the blood as well as saliva of OCD subjects when compared to controls. Moreover, Actinobacteria also resulted higher in OCD and directly correlated with oxytocin receptor gene epigenetic alterations. The same pattern of changes was present in the prefrontal cortex of socially-isolated rats, where also altered levels of fecal butyrate were observed at the beginning of the isolation procedure. CONCLUSIONS This is the first demonstration of an interplay between microbiota modulation and epigenetic regulation of gene expression in OCD, opening new avenues for the understanding of disease trajectories and for the development of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio D'Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy. .,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini, 1, 64100, Teramo, Italy.
| | | | - Fabio Bellia
- Faculty of Bioscience, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | | | | | - Federico Fanti
- Faculty of Bioscience, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Matteo Vismara
- Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Beatrice Benatti
- Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Luca Ferrara
- Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Federica Fasciana
- Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Laura Celebre
- Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Caterina Viganò
- Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Luca Elli
- Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Manuel Sergi
- Faculty of Bioscience, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.,European Center for Brain Research/Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milano, Milano, Italy. .,Department of Psychiatry, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", Psychiatry Unit 2, ASST Sacco-Fatebenefratelli, Via G.B. Grassi, 74, 20157, Milan, Italy.
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D'Addario C, Macellaro M, Bellia F, Benatti B, Annunzi E, Palumbo R, Conti D, Fasciana F, Vismara M, Varinelli A, Ferrara L, Celebre L, Viganò C, Dell'Osso B. In Search for Biomarkers in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: New Evidence on Saliva as a Practical Source of DNA to Assess Epigenetic Regulation. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:5782-5791. [PMID: 34879796 DOI: 10.2174/0929867328666211208115536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a promising candidate biomarker in both the development and aetiology of different neuropsychiatric conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Most of the studies in the field have been carried out in blood cells, including peripheral blood mononucleated cells (PBMCs), although DNA of high quality can be easily isolated from saliva. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the epigenetic regulation of the BDNF gene in the saliva of a clinical sample of OCD patients in order to assess this source as an alternative to blood. METHODS We first analyzed DNA methylation levels at BDNF in the saliva of subjects suffering from OCD (n= 50) and healthy controls (n=50). Then, we compared these data with the results previously obtained for the same genomic region in blood samples from the same patients and controls (CTRL). RESULTS Our preliminary data showed a significant reduction of 5mC levels at BDNF gene (OCD: 1.23 ± 0.45; CTRL: 1.85 ± 0.64; p < 0.0001) and a significant correlation between DNA methylation in PBMCs and saliva (Spearman r = 0.2788). CONCLUSION We support the perspective that saliva could be a possible, reliable source, and a substitute for blood, in search of epigenetic biomarkers in OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Monica Macellaro
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano. Italy
| | | | - Beatrice Benatti
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano. Italy
| | | | - Riccardo Palumbo
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele D'Annunzio University, Chieti. Italy
| | - Dario Conti
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano. 0
| | - Federica Fasciana
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano. 0
| | - Matteo Vismara
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano. 0
| | - Alberto Varinelli
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano. Italy
| | - Luca Ferrara
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano. Italy
| | - Laura Celebre
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano. Italy
| | - Caterina Viganò
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano. Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano. Italy
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Bellia F, Vismara M, Annunzi E, Cifani C, Benatti B, Dell'Osso B, D'Addario C. Genetic and epigenetic architecture of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: In search of possible diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 137:554-571. [PMID: 33213890 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.10.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a prevalent and severe clinical condition whose hallmarks are excessive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). The onset of symptoms generally occurs during pre-adult life and typically affects subjects in different aspects of their life's, compromising social and professional relationships. Although robust evidence suggests a genetic component in the etiopathogenesis of OCD, the causes of the disorder are still not completely understood. It is thus of relevance to take into account how genes interact with environmental risk factors, thought to be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. We here provide an overview of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of OCD, focusing on the modulation of key central nervous system genes, in the attempt to suggest possible disease biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Bellia
- Faculty of Bioscience, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Matteo Vismara
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Eugenia Annunzi
- Faculty of Bioscience, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy
| | - Carlo Cifani
- School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Beatrice Benatti
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, University of Milan, Milano, Italy; CRC "Aldo Ravelli", University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, University of Milan, Milano, Italy; CRC "Aldo Ravelli", University of Milan, Milano, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, CA, USA.
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Vanzetto S, Alberto V, Conti D, Macellaro M, Benatti B, Daddario C, Bellia F, Dell’Osso B. Epigenetic modulation in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Methylation and hydroxymethylation of the bdnf gene exon I promoter. Eur Psychiatry 2021. [PMCID: PMC9470468 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Several evidence recognizes Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) as a promising biomarker in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), considering the involvement of epigenetic regulation in BDNF altered expression. Objectives This study aims to investigate, in a sample of OCD patients, the epigenetic modulation in terms of levels of methylation and hydroxymethylation on the BDNF gene exon I promoter. Methods Fifty OCD patients, recruited from Psychiatry Unit 2, Sacco University Hospital in Milan and fifty healthy controls, comparable by age and gender. Saliva samples were collected by oral swab and epigenetic analysis were performed at the University of Teramo. Statistical analyses were performed with t test with Bonferroni correction. Results Data analysis showed a significant decrease in 5-methyl cytosine levels (5mC) (mean OCD: 1.221%; mean CTRL: 1.784%; p < 0.001) and a significant increase in 5-Hydroxy-methyl cytosine levels (5hmC) (mean OCD: 1.018%; mean CTRL: 0.527% p< 0.0001) in BDNF gene exon I promoter of OCD patients compared to controls. Regarding 5mC of site 3 and 5hmC of site 1 and 2 of the exon I promoter CpG islands, no statistical significance was found. Conclusions Present results showed significant differences in epigenetic modulation of BDNF gene, which might not be univocally interpreted. They could represent an intrinsic OCD characteristic or the effect of antidepressant drugs, assumed by all recruited patients. Further studies, comparing OCD subjects in treatment vs drug-free, are necessary to define BDNF epigenetic modulation role and its possible use as biomarker in the characterization of OCD. Disclosure No significant relationships.
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Cosentino L, Bellia F, Pavoncello N, Vigli D, D'Addario C, De Filippis B. Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 dysfunction provides stress vulnerability with sex- and zygosity-dependent outcomes. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 55:2766-2776. [PMID: 33655553 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15165] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Stress vulnerability is a critical factor for the development of trauma-related disorders; however, its biological underpinnings are not clear. We demonstrated that dysfunctions in the X-linked epigenetic factor methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) provide trauma vulnerability in male mice. Given the prominent role of sex in stress outcomes, we explored the effects of MeCP2 hypofunctionality in females. Female mice carrying truncated MeCP2 (heterozygous and homozygous) and wild type controls (wt) were tested for fear memory. Stress-induced corticosterone release and brain expression of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulatory genes were also evaluated in wt and mutant mice of both sexes. Although heterozygous females displayed a normal stress-related behavioural profile, homozygous mice showed enhanced memory recall for the threatening context compared to wt, thus recapitulating the phenotype previously evidenced in hemizygous males. Interestingly, MeCP2 truncation abolished the sex differences in stress-induced corticosterone release, which was found increased in mutant males, whereas blunted in mutant females in a zygosity-independent manner. Although heterozygous mice did not differ from controls, homozygous females and hemizygous males showed increased hypotalamic Crh and Avp mRNAs and a differentially altered expression of Fkbp5 in cortical areas. Present results demonstrate that in female mice carrying truncated MeCP2, altered stress responsivity is driven by homozygosity, whereas heterozygosity does not lead to maladaptive stress outcomes. MeCP2 dysfunctions thus provide stress vulnerability in mice with sex- and zygosity-dependent outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Cosentino
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Nicole Pavoncello
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniele Vigli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Università degli Studi di Teramo, Teramo, Italy.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Bianca De Filippis
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Suárez A, Fabio MC, Bellia F, Fernández MS, Pautassi RM. Environmental enrichment during adolescence heightens ethanol intake in female, but not male, adolescent rats that are selectively bred for high and low ethanol intake during adolescence. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2020; 46:553-564. [PMID: 32811189 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2020.1770778] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Discriminating between adolescents who will eventually have ethanol use problems from those who do not is important. Environmental enrichment is a promising approach to reduce drug-related problems, but its impact on ethanol's effects and intake is being scrutinized. Objective: We tested the effects of environmental enrichment on ethanol intake, preference, and anxiety-like response as well as shelter seeking and risk-taking behaviors. Methods: Experiment 1 examined ethanol intake, preference, and anxiety-like responses in 46 male and 54 female Wistar rats that were derived from a short-term breeding program that selected for high and low ethanol drinking during adolescence (ADHI2 and ADLO2 lines, respectively). Shelter-seeking and risk-taking behaviors were assessed (Experiment 2) in ADHI2 and ADLO2 rats (73 males, 76 females) reared under environmental enrichment or standard housing conditions and given doses of ethanol (2.5 g/kg, intraperitoneal) for 3 weeks. Environmental enrichment was applied on postnatal days 21-42. Ethanol intake was measured on postnatal days 42-68. Anxiety-like behavior and exploratory responses were assessed using the light-dark box and multivariate concentric square field test. Results: In Experiment 1, environmental enrichment increased ethanol intake in female, but not male, ADHI2 and ADLO2 rats (p < 0.05). In the baseline measurement of Experiment 2, ADHI2 rats exhibited reduced risk-taking and increased anxiety-like behavior (p < .05). After exposure to environmental enrichment the ADHI and ADLO rats, both males and females, exhibited increased risk-taking and exploratory behavior (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Environmental enrichment appears to increase ethanol intake in female rats by promoting the exploration of new environments or stimuli. The findings indicate that environmental enrichment increased ethanol intake in female, but not male, rats. Clinical programs that treat alcohol use disorder by emphasizing environmental stimulation should be designed with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Suárez
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. Y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Córdoba, Argentina
| | - María Carolina Fabio
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. Y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Córdoba, Argentina.,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Fabio Bellia
- Faculty of Bioscience, Università degli Studi di Teramo , Teramo, Italy
| | - Macarena Soledad Fernández
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. Y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Marcos Pautassi
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. Y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Córdoba, Argentina.,Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Córdoba, Argentina
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Bellia F, Fernández MS, Fabio MC, Pucci M, Pautassi RM, D'Addario C. Selective alterations in endogenous opioid system genes expression in rats selected for high ethanol intake during adolescence. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 212:108025. [PMID: 32442753 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Historically, the roots of alcoholism have been linked to either environment or heredity. However, the interaction between these factors is still largely unexplored. The evidence supports a link between alcohol consumption and the endogenous opioid system. We here studied the opioid genes expression in male and female Wistar rats derived from a short-term breeding program which selected -- at adolescence -- for high (ADHI line) or low (ADLO line) ethanol drinking. Specifically, in this work we analyzed central opioid gene expression in the rats of the second filial generation (S2-ADLO and S2-ADHI). Selective downregulation of pronociceptin (Pnoc) and its receptor (Oprl1) mRNA levels were observed in the prefrontal cortex of male S2-ADHI rats when compared to S2-ADLO, and for Oprl1 also in the nucleus accumbens. An increase in gene expression was instead observed for pro-opiomelanocortin (Pomc) in the nucleus accumbens of S2-ADHI males when compared to S2-ADLO, as well as for mu opioid receptor (Oprm1) but in females. The differences in mRNA levels may be due to the different alcohol consumption between the two groups of rats or may represent pre-existing differences between them. Moreover, we show a sex-specific modulation of the expression of these genes, thus pointing out the importance of sex on ethanol responses. The results might lead to more specific and effective pharmacological treatments for alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Macarena Soledad Fernández
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - María Carolina Fabio
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina; Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | - Ricardo Marcos Pautassi
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina; Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Università degli Studi di Teramo, Teramo, Italy; Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Piras G, Rattazzi L, Paschalidis N, Oggero S, Berti G, Ono M, Bellia F, D'Addario C, Dell'Osso B, Pariante CM, Perretti M, D'Acquisto F. Immuno-moodulin: A new anxiogenic factor produced by Annexin-A1 transgenic autoimmune-prone T cells. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 87:689-702. [PMID: 32126289 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients suffering from autoimmune diseases are more susceptible to mental disorders yet, the existence of specific cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the co-morbidity of these pathologies is far from being fully elucidated. By generating transgenic mice overexpressing Annexin-A1 exclusively in T cells to study its impact in models of autoimmune diseases, we made the unpredicted observation of an increased level of anxiety. Gene microarray of Annexin-A1 CD4+ T cells identified a novel anxiogenic factor, a small protein of approximately 21 kDa encoded by the gene 2610019F03Rik which we named Immuno-moodulin. Neutralizing antibodies against Immuno-moodulin reverted the behavioral phenotype of Annexin-A1 transgenic mice and lowered the basal levels of anxiety in wild type mice; moreover, we also found that patients suffering from obsessive compulsive disorders show high levels of Imood in their peripheral mononuclear cells. We thus identify this protein as a novel peripheral determinant that modulates anxiety behavior. Therapies targeting Immuno-moodulin may lead to a new type of treatment for mental disorders through regulation of the functions of the immune system, rather than directly acting on the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppa Piras
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lorenza Rattazzi
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nikolaos Paschalidis
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Oggero
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giulio Berti
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Masahiro Ono
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London,United Kingdom
| | - Fabio Bellia
- Faculty of Bioscience, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Ospedale Sacco, Polo Universitario, Milan, Italy; CRC "Aldo Ravelli" for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, University of Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Bipolar Disorders Clinic, Stanford University, CA, USA
| | - Carmine Maria Pariante
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mauro Perretti
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom; Centre for Inflammation and Therapeutic Innovation, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fulvio D'Acquisto
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom; Centre for Inflammation and Therapeutic Innovation, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom; Health Science Research Centre, Department of Life Science, University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom.
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12
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Sabatucci A, Berchet V, Bellia F, Maccarrone M, Dainese E, D'Addario C, Pucci M. A new methodological approach for in vitro determination of the role of DNA methylation on transcription factor binding using AlphaScreen® analysis: Focus on CREB1 binding at hBDNF promoter IV. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 341:108720. [PMID: 32416472 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108720] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation plays a relevant role in the regulation of gene transcription, but currently the exact quantification of transcription factors binding to methylated DNA is not being determined. The binding of the transcription factor cAMP response element-binding protein-1 to its cognate CpG containing motif is known to be impaired upon methylation. It thus represents a paradigmatic system to experimentally verify the validity of a new in vitro method to measure the role of methylation on DNA/transcription factors binding. METHOD An AlphaScreen® assay was developed to quantitatively measure the contribution of DNA CpG methylation on the interaction with transcription factors. The method was validated measuring the variation in affinity of cAMP response element-binding protein-1 and its recognition motif in human Brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene exon IV promoter as a function of CpG methylation. RESULTS For the first time, a quantitative direct correlation between DNA methylation and transcription factors binding is reported showing a dramatic reduction in binding affinity between fully methylated and non-methylated DNA. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS This methodology allows to directly measure DNA/transcription factors binding ability as a function of DNA methylation levels thus improving not quantitative methods available today. Moreover, it allows to work with purified proteins and oligonucleotides without need of chromatin. CONCLUSIONS The present methodology is suggested as a new analytical tool for the quantitative determination of the effect of CpG methylation on the interaction of gene promoters with transcription factors regulating gene expression, a key epigenetic mechanism implicated in many physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sabatucci
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - V Berchet
- PerkinElmer Espana S.L., Ronda de Poniente, 19-28760 Tres Cantos (Madrid), Spain.
| | - F Bellia
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - M Maccarrone
- Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Roma, Italy; European Center for Brain Research (CERC)/Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, 64-00143 Roma, Italy.
| | - E Dainese
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - C D'Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
| | - M Pucci
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
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Nassan M, Veldic M, Winham S, Frye MA, Larrabee B, Colby C, Biernacka J, Bellia F, Pucci M, Terenius L, Vukojevic V, D'Addario C. Methylation of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Val66Met CpG site is associated with early onset bipolar disorder. J Affect Disord 2020; 267:96-102. [PMID: 32063579 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) rs6265 (Val66Met) Met allele is associated with early onset (≤ 19 years old) bipolar disorder (BD). Val66Met (G196A) creates a CpG site when the Val/G allele is present. We sought to study the methylation of the BDNF promoter and its interaction with Val66Met genotype in BD. METHODS Sex/age-matched previously genotyped DNA samples from BD-Type 1 cases [N = 166: early onset (≤ 19 years old) n = 79, late onset (> 20 years old) n = 87] and controls (N = 162) were studied. Pyrosequencing of four CpGs in Promoter-I, four CpGs in promoter-IV, and two CpGs in Promoter-IX (CpG2 includes G= Val allele) was performed. Logistic regression adjusting for batch effect was used to compare cases vs. controls. Analyses also included stratification by disease onset and adjustment for Val66Met genotype. Secondary exploratory analyses for the association of life stressors, comorbid substance abuse, and psychotropic use with methylation patterns were performed. RESULTS Comparing all BD cases vs. controls and adjusting for Val66Met genotype, BD cases had significantly higher methylation in promoter -IX/CPG-2 (p = 0.0074). This was driven by early onset cases vs. controls (p = 0.00039) and not late onset cases vs. controls (p = 0.2). LIMITATION Relatively small sample size. CONCLUSION Early onset BD is associated with increased methylation of CpG site created by Val=G allele of the Val66Met variance. Further studies could include larger sample size and postmortem brain samples in an attempt to replicate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malik Nassan
- Mayo Clinic, Psychiatry & Psychology, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Marin Veldic
- Mayo Clinic, Psychiatry & Psychology, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Stacey Winham
- Mayo Clinic, Psychiatry & Psychology, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mark A Frye
- Mayo Clinic, Psychiatry & Psychology, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Beth Larrabee
- Mayo Clinic, Psychiatry & Psychology, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Colin Colby
- Mayo Clinic, Psychiatry & Psychology, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | | | | | - Lars Terenius
- Karolinska Institute, Clinical Neuroscience, Solna, Sweden
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14
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Fernández MS, Bellia F, Ferreyra A, Chiner F, Jiménez García AM, D’Addario C, Pautassi RM. Short-term selection for high and low ethanol intake during adolescence exerts lingering effects in stress-induced ethanol drinking and yields an anxiety-prone phenotype. Behav Brain Res 2020; 380:112445. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Wille-Bille A, Bellia F, Jiménez García AM, Miranda-Morales RS, D'Addario C, Pautassi RM. Early exposure to environmental enrichment modulates the effects of prenatal ethanol exposure upon opioid gene expression and adolescent ethanol intake. Neuropharmacology 2019; 165:107917. [PMID: 31926456 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [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: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) promotes ethanol consumption in the adolescent offspring accompanied by the transcriptional regulation of kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system genes. This study analysed if environmental enrichment (EE, from gestational day 20 to postnatal day 26) exerts protective effects upon PEE-modulation of gene expression, ethanol intake and anxiety responses. Pregnant rats were exposed to PEE (0.0 or 2.0 g/kg ethanol, gestational days 17-20) and subsequently the dam and offspring were reared under EE or standard conditions. PEE upregulated KOR mRNA levels in amygdala (AMY) and prodynorphin (PDYN) mRNA levels in ventral tegmental area (VTA) with the latter effect associated with lower DNA methylation at the gene promoter. These effects were normalized by exposure to EE. PEE modulated BDNF mRNA levels in VTA and Nucleus accumbens (AcbN), and EE mitigated the changes in AcbN. EE induced a protective effect on ethanol intake and preference, an effect more noticeable in males than in females, and in prenatal vehicle-treated (PV) than in PEE rats. The male offspring drank significantly less ethanol than the female offspring. The latter result suggests that the protective effect of EE on ethanol drinking may only emerge at lower levels of drinking. In the dams, PEE induced an upregulation of PDYN and KOR in AcbN. PDYN gene expression was normalized by exposure to EE. These results suggest that EE is a promising treatment to inhibit the effects of PEE. The results confirm that PEE effects are mediated by alterations in the transcriptional regulation of KOR system genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aranza Wille-Bille
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Córdoba, C.P. 5000, Argentina
| | - Fabio Bellia
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Teramo, C.P. 64100, Italy
| | - Ana María Jiménez García
- Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Farmacología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, C.P. 18071, Spain
| | - Roberto Sebastián Miranda-Morales
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Córdoba, C.P. 5000, Argentina; Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, C.P. 5000, Argentina
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Teramo, C.P. 64100, Italy.
| | - Ricardo Marcos Pautassi
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Córdoba, C.P. 5000, Argentina; Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, C.P. 5000, Argentina.
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16
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Ginés I, Gil-Cardoso K, D’Addario C, Falconi A, Bellia F, Blay MT, Terra X, Ardévol A, Pinent M, Beltrán-Debón R. Long-Lasting Effects of GSPE on Ileal GLP-1R Gene Expression Are Associated with a Hypomethylation of the GLP-1R Promoter in Female Wistar Rats. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9120865. [PMID: 31842341 PMCID: PMC6995503 DOI: 10.3390/biom9120865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Flavonoids have been shown to modulate GLP-1 in obesity. GLP-1 induces some of its effects through the intestinal GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R), though no data exist on how flavonoids affect this receptor. Here, we examine how a dose of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) with anti-obesity activity affects intestinal GLP-1R and analyze whether epigenetics play a role in the long-lasting effects of GSPE. We found that 10-day GSPE administration prior to the cafeteria diet upregulated GLP-1R mRNA in the ileum 17 weeks after the GSPE treatment. This was associated with a hypomethylation of the GLP-1R promoter near the region where the SP1 transcription factor binds. In the colon, the cafeteria diet upregulated GLP-1R without showing any GSPE effect. In conclusion, we have identified long-lasting GSPE effects on GLP-1R gene expression in the ileum that are partly mediated by hypomethylation at the gene promoter and may affect the SP1 binding factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Ginés
- MoBioFood Research Group, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, c/Marcel·lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (I.G.); (K.G.-C.); (M.T.B.); (X.T.); (A.A.); (R.B.-D.)
| | - Katherine Gil-Cardoso
- MoBioFood Research Group, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, c/Marcel·lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (I.G.); (K.G.-C.); (M.T.B.); (X.T.); (A.A.); (R.B.-D.)
| | - Claudio D’Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (C.D.); (A.F.); (F.B.)
| | - Anastasia Falconi
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (C.D.); (A.F.); (F.B.)
| | - Fabio Bellia
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (C.D.); (A.F.); (F.B.)
| | - M Teresa Blay
- MoBioFood Research Group, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, c/Marcel·lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (I.G.); (K.G.-C.); (M.T.B.); (X.T.); (A.A.); (R.B.-D.)
| | - Ximena Terra
- MoBioFood Research Group, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, c/Marcel·lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (I.G.); (K.G.-C.); (M.T.B.); (X.T.); (A.A.); (R.B.-D.)
| | - Anna Ardévol
- MoBioFood Research Group, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, c/Marcel·lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (I.G.); (K.G.-C.); (M.T.B.); (X.T.); (A.A.); (R.B.-D.)
| | - Montserrat Pinent
- MoBioFood Research Group, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, c/Marcel·lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (I.G.); (K.G.-C.); (M.T.B.); (X.T.); (A.A.); (R.B.-D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-977-55-9566; Fax: +34-977-55-8232
| | - Raúl Beltrán-Debón
- MoBioFood Research Group, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, c/Marcel·lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain; (I.G.); (K.G.-C.); (M.T.B.); (X.T.); (A.A.); (R.B.-D.)
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D'Addario C, Bellia F, Benatti B, Grancini B, Vismara M, Pucci M, De Carlo V, Viganò C, Galimberti D, Fenoglio C, Scarpini E, Maccarrone M, Dell'Osso B. Exploring the role of BDNF DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder. J Psychiatr Res 2019; 114:17-23. [PMID: 31004918 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [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: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a clinically heterogeneous neuropsychiatric condition associated with profound disability, whose susceptibility, stemming from genetic and environmental factors that intersect with each other, is still under investigation. In this perspective, we sought to explore the transcriptional regulation of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a promising candidate biomarker in both development and etiology of different neuropsychiatric conditions, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from OCD patients and healthy controls. In particular, we focused on BDNF gene expression and interrogated in depth DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation at gene promoters (exons I, IV and IX) in a sample of OCD patients attending a tertiary OCD Clinic to receive guidelines-recommended treatment, and matched controls. Our preliminary data showed a significant increase in BDNF gene expression and a significant correlation with changes in the two epigenetic modifications selectively at promoter exon I, with no changes in the other promoters under study. We can conclude that transcriptional regulation of BDNF in OCD engages epigenetic mechanisms, and can suggest that this is likely evoked by the long-term pharmacotherapy. It is important to underline that many different factors need to be taken into account (i.e. age, sex, duration of illness, treatment), and thus further studies are mandatory to investigate their role in the epigenetic regulation of BDNF gene. Of note, we provide unprecedented evidence for the importance of analyzing 5-hydroxymethylcytosine levels to correctly evaluate 5-methylcytosine changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio D'Addario
- University of Teramo, Bioscience, Teramo, Italy; Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | | | - Beatrice Benatti
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano, Italy
| | - Benedetta Grancini
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano, Italy
| | - Matteo Vismara
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Vera De Carlo
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano, Italy
| | - Caterina Viganò
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano, Italy
| | - Daniela Galimberti
- University of Milan, Dino Ferrari Center, Milan, Italy; Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Policlinico, Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Fenoglio
- University of Milan, Dino Ferrari Center, Milan, Italy; Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Policlinico, Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, Milan, Italy
| | - Elio Scarpini
- University of Milan, Dino Ferrari Center, Milan, Italy; Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Policlinico, Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, Milan, Italy
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Fondazione IRCCS Santa Lucia, Unit of Lipid Neurochemistry, Rome, Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Milano, Italy; CRC "Aldo Ravelli", University of Milan, Milano, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, CA, USA.
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18
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Pirone L, Di Gaetano S, Rizzarelli E, Bellia F, Pedone E. Focusing on the functional characterization of the anserinase from Oreochromis niloticus. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 130:158-165. [PMID: 30797810 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.02.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Carnosine, anserine and homocarnosine are the three most representative compounds of the histidine dipeptides family, widely distributed in mammals in different amounts depending on the species and the tissue considered. Histidine dipeptides are mainly degraded by two different carnosinase homologues: a highly specific metal-ion dependent carnosinase (CN1) located in serum and brain and a non-specific cytosolic form (CN2). The hydrolysis of such dipeptides in prokaryotes and eukaryotes is also catalyzed by the anserinase (ANSN). Such naturally occurring dipeptides represent an interesting topic because they seem to have numerous biological roles such as potential neuroprotective and neurotransmitter functions in the brain and therefore ANSN results to be a very interesting target of study. We here report, for the first time, cloning, expression of ANSN from the fish Oreochromis niloticus both in a mammalian and in a prokaryotic system, in order to perform deep functional studies by enzymatic assays in the presence of different metals and substrates. Furthermore, by means of a mass spectrometry-based proteomic approach, we analysed protein sequence and the potential presence of post-translational modifications in the mammalian recombinant protein. Finally, a preliminary structural characterization was carried out on ANSN produced in Escherichia coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Pirone
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR, Napoli, Italy
| | - S Di Gaetano
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR, Napoli, Italy
| | - E Rizzarelli
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR, Catania, Italy; Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - F Bellia
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR, Catania, Italy.
| | - E Pedone
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR, Napoli, Italy.
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Bellia F, Lanza V, García-Viñuales S, Ahmed IMM, Pietropaolo A, Iacobucci C, Malgieri G, D'Abrosca G, Fattorusso R, Nicoletti VG, Sbardella D, Tundo GR, Coletta M, Pirone L, Pedone E, Calcagno D, Grasso G, Milardi D. Ubiquitin binds the amyloid β peptide and interferes with its clearance pathways. Chem Sci 2019; 10:2732-2742. [PMID: 30996991 PMCID: PMC6419943 DOI: 10.1039/c8sc03394c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Several lines of evidence point to a compromised proteostasis associated with a reduction of the Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS) activity in patients affected by Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and suggest that the amyloid β peptide (Aβ) is an important player in the game. Inspired also by many reports, underlining the presence of ubiquitin (Ub) in the amyloid plaques of AD brains, here we set out to test whether Ub may bind the Aβ peptide and have any effect on its clearance pathways. By using an integrated array of MALDI-TOF/UPLC-HRMS, fluorescence, NMR, SPR, Microscale Thermophoresis (MST) and molecular dynamics studies, we consistently demonstrated that Aβ40 binds Ub with a 1 : 1 stoichiometry and K d in the high micromolar range. In particular, we show that the N-terminal domain of the Aβ peptide (through residues D1, E3 and R5) interacts with the C-terminal tail of Ub (involving residues K63 and E64), inducing the central region of Aβ (14HQKLVFFAEDVGSNK28) to adopt a mixed α-helix/β-turn structure. ELISA assays, carried out in neuroblastoma cell lysates, suggest that Aβ competitively binds Ub also in the presence of the entire pool of cytosolic Ub binding proteins. Ub-bound Aβ has a lower tendency to aggregate into amyloid-like fibrils and is more slowly degraded by the Insulin Degrading Enzyme (IDE). Finally, we observe that the water soluble fragment Aβ1-16 significantly inhibits Ub chain growth reactions. These results evidence how the non-covalent interaction between Aβ peptides and Ub may have relevant effects on the regulation of the upstream events of the UPS and pave the way to future in vivo studies addressing the role played by Aβ peptide in the malfunction of proteome maintenance occurring in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Bellia
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini , Via P. Gaifami 18 , 95126 Catania , Italy .
| | - V Lanza
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini , Via P. Gaifami 18 , 95126 Catania , Italy .
| | - S García-Viñuales
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini , Via P. Gaifami 18 , 95126 Catania , Italy .
| | - I M M Ahmed
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini , Via P. Gaifami 18 , 95126 Catania , Italy .
| | - A Pietropaolo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute , Università degli Studi Magna Graecia di Catanzaro , Viale Europa , 88100 , Catanzaro , Italy
| | - C Iacobucci
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Bioanalytics , Institute of Pharmacy , Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , 06120 Halle/Saale , Germany
| | - G Malgieri
- Department of Environmental , Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies , University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Vivaldi 43 , 81100 Caserta , Italy
| | - G D'Abrosca
- Department of Environmental , Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies , University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Vivaldi 43 , 81100 Caserta , Italy
| | - R Fattorusso
- Department of Environmental , Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies , University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" , Via Vivaldi 43 , 81100 Caserta , Italy
| | - V G Nicoletti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche (BIOMETEC) , sez. Biochimica medica , Università di Catania , Via Santa Sofia 97 , 95124 Catania , Italy
| | - D Sbardella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Medicina Traslazionale , Università di Roma Tor Vergata , Via Montpellier 1 , 00133 , Roma , Italy
| | - G R Tundo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Medicina Traslazionale , Università di Roma Tor Vergata , Via Montpellier 1 , 00133 , Roma , Italy
| | - M Coletta
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Medicina Traslazionale , Università di Roma Tor Vergata , Via Montpellier 1 , 00133 , Roma , Italy
| | - L Pirone
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini , Via Mezzocannone, 16 , Naples I-80134 , Italy
| | - E Pedone
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini , Via Mezzocannone, 16 , Naples I-80134 , Italy
| | - D Calcagno
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche , Università di Catania , V.le Andrea Doria 6 , 95125 Catania , Italy .
| | - G Grasso
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche , Università di Catania , V.le Andrea Doria 6 , 95125 Catania , Italy .
| | - D Milardi
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini , Via P. Gaifami 18 , 95126 Catania , Italy .
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Pucci M, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Zaplatic E, Bellia F, Maccarrone M, Cifani C, D'Addario C. Transcriptional regulation of the endocannabinoid system in a rat model of binge-eating behavior reveals a selective modulation of the hypothalamic fatty acid amide hydrolase gene. Int J Eat Disord 2019; 52:51-60. [PMID: 30578649 DOI: 10.1002/eat.22989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Binge-eating episodes are recurrent and are defining features of several eating disorders. Thus binge-eating episodes might influence eating disorder development of which exact underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown. METHODS Here we focused on the transcriptional regulation of the endocannabinoid system, a potent regulator of feeding behavior, in relevant rat brain regions, using a rat model in which a history of intermittent food restriction and a frustration stress induce binge-like palatable food consumption. RESULTS We observed a selective down-regulation of fatty acid amide hydrolase (faah) gene expression in the hypothalamus of rats showing the binge-eating behavior with a consistent reduction in histone 3 acetylation at lysine 4 of the gene promoter. No relevant changes were detected for any other endocannabinoid system components in any brain regions under study, as well as for the other epigenetic mechanisms investigated (DNA methylation and histone 3 lysine 27 methylation) at the faah gene promoter. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that faah transcriptional regulation is a potential biomarker of binge-eating episodes, with a relevant role in the homeostatic regulation of food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela Pucci
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Elizabeta Zaplatic
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Fabio Bellia
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,European Center for Brain Research (CERC)/Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Cifani
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Di Natale G, Zimbone S, Bellia F, Tomasello M, Giuffrida M, Pappalardo G, Rizzarelli E. Potential therapeutics of Alzheimer's diseases: New insights into the neuroprotective role of trehalose‐conjugated beta sheet breaker peptides. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Di Natale
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Instituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Via Paolo Gaifami 18 Catania 95126 Italy
| | - S. Zimbone
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Instituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Via Paolo Gaifami 18 Catania 95126 Italy
| | - F. Bellia
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Instituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Via Paolo Gaifami 18 Catania 95126 Italy
| | - M.F. Tomasello
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Instituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Via Paolo Gaifami 18 Catania 95126 Italy
| | - M.L. Giuffrida
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Instituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Via Paolo Gaifami 18 Catania 95126 Italy
| | - G. Pappalardo
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Instituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Via Paolo Gaifami 18 Catania 95126 Italy
| | - E. Rizzarelli
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Instituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, Via Paolo Gaifami 18 Catania 95126 Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche Università degli studi di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6 Catania 95125 Italy
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22
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Wille-Bille A, Miranda-Morales RS, Pucci M, Bellia F, D'Addario C, Pautassi RM. Prenatal ethanol induces an anxiety phenotype and alters expression of dynorphin & nociceptin/orphanin FQ genes. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 85:77-88. [PMID: 29678771 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.04.005] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Animal models have suggested that prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) alters the κ opioid receptor system. The present study investigated the brain expression of dynorphin and nociceptin/orphanin FQ related genes and assessed anxiety-like behavior in the light-dark box (LDB), shelter-seeking and risk-taking behaviors in the concentric square field (CSF) test, and ethanol-induced locomotion in the open field (OF), in infant or adolescent Wistar rats that were exposed to PEE (0.0 or 2.0 g/kg, intragastrically, gestational days 17-20). We measured brain mRNA levels of prodynorphin (PDYN), κ opioid receptors (KOR), the nociceptin/orphanin FQ opioid peptide precursor prepronociceptin (ppN/OFQ) and nociceptine/orphanin FQ receptors (NOR). Prenatal ethanol exposure upregulated PDYN and KOR mRNA levels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in infant and adolescent rats and KOR mRNA levels in the prefrontal cortex in infant rats. The changes in gene expression in the VTA were accompanied by a reduction of DNA methylation at the PDYN gene promoter, and by a reduction of DNA methylation at the KOR gene promoter. The PEE-induced upregulation of PDYN/KOR in the VTA was accompanied by lower NOR gene expression in the VTA, and lower PDYN gene expression in the nucleus accumbens. PEE rats exhibited hypolocomotion in the OF, greater avoidance of the white and brightly lit areas in the LDB and CSF, and greater preference for the sheltered area in the CSF test. These results suggest that PEE upregulates the dynorphin system, resulting in an anxiety-prone phenotype and triggering compensatory responses in the nociceptin/orphanin FQ system. These findings may help elucidate the mechanisms that underlie the effects of PEE and suggest that the dynorphin and nociceptin/orphanin FQ systems may be possible targets for the prevention and treatment of PEE-induced alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aranza Wille-Bille
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Córdoba C.P. 5000, Argentina
| | - Roberto Sebastián Miranda-Morales
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Córdoba C.P. 5000, Argentina; Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | | | - Claudio D'Addario
- Università degli Studi di Teramo, Teramo, Italy; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Ricardo Marcos Pautassi
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Córdoba C.P. 5000, Argentina; Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
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La Mendola D, Arnesano F, Hansson Ö, Giacomelli C, Calò V, Mangini V, Magrì A, Bellia F, Trincavelli ML, Martini C, Natile G, Rizzarelli E. Copper binding to naturally occurring, lactam form of angiogenin differs from that to recombinant protein, affecting their activity. Metallomics 2016; 8:118-24. [PMID: 26594037 DOI: 10.1039/c5mt00216h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Angiogenin is a member of the ribonuclease family and a normal constituent of human plasma. It is one of the most potent angiogenic factors known and is overexpressed in different types of cancers. Copper is also an essential cofactor in angiogenesis and, during this process, it is mobilized from inside to outside of the cell. To date, contrasting results have been reported about copper(ii) influencing angiogenin activity. However, in these studies, the recombinant form of the protein was used. Unlike recombinant angiogenin, that contains an extra methionine with a free terminal amino group, the naturally occurring protein present in human plasma starts with a glutamine residue that spontaneously cyclizes to pyroglutamate, a lactam derivative. Herein, we report spectroscopic evidence indicating that copper(ii) experiences different coordination environments in the two protein isoforms, and affects their RNase and angiogenic activity differently. These results show how relatively small differences between recombinant and wild type proteins can result in markedly different behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- D La Mendola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno Pisano 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
| | - F Arnesano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari "A. Moro", via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - Ö Hansson
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 9C, PO Box 462, SE-40530 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - C Giacomelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno Pisano 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
| | - V Calò
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari "A. Moro", via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - V Mangini
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari "A. Moro", via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - A Magrì
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR, via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - F Bellia
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR, via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - M L Trincavelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno Pisano 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
| | - C Martini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, via Bonanno Pisano 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
| | - G Natile
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari "A. Moro", via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - E Rizzarelli
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, CNR, via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
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Perluigi M, Di Domenico F, Giorgi A, Schininà ME, Coccia R, Cini C, Bellia F, Cambria MT, Cornelius C, Butterfield DA, Calabrese V. Redox proteomics in aging rat brain: involvement of mitochondrial reduced glutathione status and mitochondrial protein oxidation in the aging process. J Neurosci Res 2010; 88:3498-507. [PMID: 20936692 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.22500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2010] [Revised: 07/11/2010] [Accepted: 07/16/2010] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence supports the notion that increased oxidative stress is a fundamental cause in the aging process and in neurodegenerative diseases. As a result, a decline in cognitive function is generally associated with brain aging. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive intermediates, which can modify proteins, nucleic acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, leading to neuronal damage. Because proteins are major components of biological systems and play key roles in a variety of cellular functions, oxidative damage to proteins represents a primary event observed in aging and age-related neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study, with a redox proteomics approach, we identified mitochondrial oxidatively modified proteins as a function of brain aging, specifically in those brain regions, such as cortex and hippocampus, that are commonly affected by the aging process. In all brain regions examined, many of the identified proteins were energy-related, such as pyruvate kinase, ATP synthase, aldolase, creatine kinase, and α-enolase. These alterations were associated with significant changes in both cytosolic and mitochondrial redox status in all brain regions analyzed. Our finding is in line with current literature postulating that free radical damage and decreased energy production are characteristic hallmarks of the aging process. In additon, our results further contribute to identifying common pathological pathways involved both in aging and in neurodegenerative disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Perluigi
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Russo A, Azzia N, Pappalardo E, Bellia F. [2 cases of acute leukemia (lymphoblastic and monocytic) with rheumatoid-like appearance]. Minerva Pediatr 1984; 36:111-4. [PMID: 6587180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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