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Pan YD, Zhang Y, Zheng WY, Zhu MZ, Li HY, Ouyang WJ, Wen QQ, Zhu XH. Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia Ameliorates Autistic-Like Phenotypes in Mice. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1665232023. [PMID: 38124211 PMCID: PMC10869151 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1665-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and stereotyped behaviors. Although major advances in basic research on autism have been achieved in the past decade, and behavioral interventions can mitigate the difficulties that individuals with autism experience, little is known about the many fundamental issues of the interventions, and no specific medication has demonstrated efficiency for the core symptoms of ASD. Intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (IHH) is characterized by repeated exposure to lowered atmospheric pressure and oxygen levels, which triggers multiple physiological adaptations in the body. Here, using two mouse models of ASD, male Shank3B -/- and Fmr1 -/y mice, we found that IHH training at an altitude of 5,000 m for 4 h per day, for 14 consecutive days, ameliorated autistic-like behaviors. Moreover, IHH training enhanced hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) 1α in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and activated the DRN serotonergic neurons. Infusion of cobalt chloride into the DRN, to mimic IHH in increasing HIF1α expression or genetically knockdown PHD2 to upregulate HIF1α expression in the DRN serotonergic neurons, alleviated autistic-like behaviors in Shank3B -/- mice. In contrast, downregulation of HIF1α in DRN serotonergic neurons induced compulsive behaviors. Furthermore, upregulating HIF1α in DRN serotonergic neurons increased the firing rates of these neurons, whereas downregulation of HIF1α in DRN serotonergic neurons decreased their firing rates. These findings suggest that IHH activated DRN serotonergic neurons via upregulation of HIF1α, and thus ameliorated autistic-like phenotypes, providing a novel therapeutic option for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-da Pan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Wen-Ying Zheng
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Min-Zhen Zhu
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
| | - Huan-Yu Li
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
| | - Wen-Jie Ouyang
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Qin-Qing Wen
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xin-Hong Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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