Anti-/Propsychotic drug signaling via heteromeric GPCRs--a balancing act?

In this issue, Fribourg et al. provide insight into a molecular basis of psychosis. They reveal that a heteromeric complex formed by the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for glutamate and serotonin is a convergent site for the activity of anti- or propsychotic drugs, opening a possibility for new therapeutic strategies for schizophrenia.

Astrocytic Responses to Binge Alcohol Intake in the Mouse Hindbrain.

Ethanol is the most commonly used toxic chemical in human cultures. Ethanol predominantly damages the brain causing various neurological disorders. Astrocytes are important cellular targets of ethanol in the brain and are involved in alcoholic symptoms. Recent studies have revealed the diversity of astrocyte populations in the brain. However, it is unclear how the different astrocyte populations respond to an excess of ethanol. Here we examined the effect of binge ethanol levels on astrocytes in the mouse brainstem and cerebellum. Ethanol administration for four consecutive days increased the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactive signals in the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve (stTN) and reticular nucleus (RN). Another astrocyte marker, aquaporin 4 (AQP4), was also increased in the stTN with a pattern similar to that of GFAP. However, in the RN, the immunoreactive signals of AQP4 were different from that of GFAP and were not changed by ethanol administration. In the cerebellum, GFAP-positive signals were found in all four astrocytic populations, and those in the Bergmann glia were selectively eliminated by ethanol administration. We next examined the effect of estradiol on the ethanol-induced changes in astrocytic immunoreactive signals. The administration of estradiol alone increased the AQP4-immunoreactivity in the stTN with a pattern similar to that of ethanol, whereas the co-administration of estradiol and ethanol suppressed the intensity of the AQP4-positive signals. Thus, binge levels of ethanol intake selectively affect astrocyte populations in the brainstem and cerebellum. Sex hormones can affect the ethanol-induced neurotoxicity via modulation of astrocyte reactivity.

Different Properties of Involuted Thymus upon Nutritional Deficiency in Young and Aged Mice.

Immune suppression in elderly individuals is one of the most important hygienic problems in aged societies. The primary immune organ thymus is histologically and functionally reduced by aging, which is known as thymic involution. The thymus is also involuted by nutritional deficiency, which frequently occurs in elderly individuals. However, there is no information on the thymic changes caused by nutritional deficiency with aging. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the histological and molecular responses of the thymus to nutritional deficiency in young and aged mice. The thymic size was significantly smaller in 16- or 18-week-old aged mice than in 7-week-old young mice. Dietary restriction for 48 h reduced the thymic size in young mice, but not in aged mice. Immunostaining with anti-keratin 5 antibody revealed that the integrity of the corticomedullary boundary was maintained in the aged thymus, whereas dietary restriction induced its disorganization in both young and aged thymus. The numbers of immunoglobulin G (IgG)-positive cells were increased upon dietary restriction in aged, but not in young, thymus. Dietary restriction, but not aging, upregulated the mRNA levels of T-helper 2 (Th2)-related Il5, Il6, and Il10, whereas aging increased that of Th1-related interferon-γ (Ifng). The dietary restriction-induced upregulation of prostanoid-synthesizing enzymes was clearly observed in the young thymus but attenuated in the aged thymus. Thus, nutritional deficiency and aging cause an involuted thymus with different properties. Moreover, the thymus in aged mice does not show further reduction in size by nutritional deficiency but still responds differently compared with that in young mice.

Characterization of Astrocytes in the Minocycline-Administered Mouse Photothrombotic Ischemic Stroke Model.

Astrocytes, together with microglia, play important roles in the non-infectious inflammation and scar formation at the brain infarct during ischemic stroke. After ischemia occurs, these become highly reactive, accumulate at the infarction, and release various inflammatory signaling molecules. The regulation of astrocyte reactivity and function surrounding the infarction largely depends on intercellular communication with microglia. However, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Furthermore, recent molecular biological studies have revealed that astrocytes are highly divergent under both resting and reactive states, whereas it has not been well reported how the communication between microglia and astrocytes affects astrocyte divergency during ischemic stroke. Minocycline, an antibiotic that reduces microglial activity, has been used to examine the functional roles of microglia in mice. In this study, we used a mouse photothrombotic ischemic stroke model to examine the characteristics of astrocytes after the administration of minocycline during ischemic stroke. Minocycline increased astrocyte reactivity and affected the localization of astrocytes in the penumbra region. Molecular characterization revealed that the induced expression of mRNA encoding the fatty acid binding protein 7 (FABP7) by photothrombosis was enhanced by the minocycline administration. Meanwhile, minocycline did not significantly affect the phenotype or class of astrocytes. The expression of Fabp7 mRNA was well correlated with that of tumor-necrosis factor α (TNFα)-encoding Tnf mRNA, indicating that a correlated expression of FABP7 from astrocytes and TNFα is suppressed by microglial activity.

Testicular Hypoplasia with Normal Fertility in Neudesin-Knockout Mice.

Neudesin is a secretory protein involved in the brain development during embryonic period and diet-induced development of adipose tissue. Although neudesin is also expressed in the testis, its physiological functions in the testis have not been documented. Therefore, we examined neudesin-encoding neuron-derived neurotrophic factor (Nenf) gene-knockout (Neudesin-KO) mice to clarify the functions of neudesin in the testis. The testicular size of the Neudesin-KO mice was significantly smaller than that of wild-type (WT) mice. However, histological analyses did not reveal any abnormalities in the testis, caput epididymis, and cauda epididymis. Sperm number in the cauda epididymis was comparable between WT and KO mice. Neudesin-KO male mice produced vaginal plugs on paired WT female mice, with a frequency similar to that in WT male mice. A similar number of embryos were developed in the females copulated with WT and Neudesin-KO males. Molecular analysis indicated that the ion transporters Slc19a1 and Kcnk3 were more expressed in the testis of Neudesin-KO mice than in the testis of WT mice, suggesting that the transport of ions and some nutrients in the testis has some abnormalities. Testicular size decreased on postnatal day 6, but not on the day of birth, indicating that neudesin is involved in the postnatal, but not embryonic, development of testis. These results indicate a novel role of neudesin in the development of testis.

Early-life decline in neurogenesis markers and age-related changes of TrkB splice variant expression in the human subependymal zone.

Neurogenesis in the subependymal zone (SEZ) declines across the human lifespan, and reduced local neurotrophic support is speculated to be a contributing factor. While tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) signalling is critical for neuronal differentiation, maturation and survival, little is known about subependymal TrkB expression changes during postnatal human life. In this study, we used quantitative PCR and in situ hybridisation to determine expression of the cell proliferation marker Ki67, the immature neuron marker doublecortin (DCX) and both full-length (TrkB-TK+) and truncated TrkB receptors (TrkB-TK-) in the human SEZ from infancy to middle age (n = 26-35, 41 days to 43 years). We further measured TrkB-TK+ and TrkB-TK- mRNAs in the SEZ from young adulthood into ageing (n = 50, 21-103 years), and related their transcript levels to neurogenic and glial cell markers. Ki67, DCX and both TrkB splice variant mRNAs significantly decreased in the SEZ from infancy to middle age. In contrast, TrkB-TK- mRNA increased in the SEZ from young adulthood into ageing, whereas TrkB-TK+ mRNA remained stable. TrkB-TK- mRNA positively correlated with expression of neural precursor (glial fibrillary acidic protein delta and achaete-scute homolog 1) and glial cell markers (vimentin and pan glial fibrillary acidic protein). TrkB-TK+ mRNA positively correlated with expression of neuronal cell markers (DCX and tubulin beta 3 class III). Our results indicate that cells residing in the human SEZ maintain their responsiveness to neurotrophins; however, this capability may change across postnatal life. We suggest that TrkB splice variants may differentially influence neuronal and glial differentiation in the human SEZ.

Anxiety among Japanese nursing researchers before and after dispatch for COVID-19 pandemic support: Effects of anxiety-enhancing and buffering factors.

AIM: We investigated the levels of anxiety and the factors influencing it among Japanese nursing researchers before and after engaging in dispatch support activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also tested the relationships between pre- and post-relief anxiety and their enhancing and buffering factors. METHODS: A web-based survey was conducted with 9832 members from the Japan Academy of Nursing Science, covering 15 items related to participant attributes such as age and disaster relief qualifications, factors affecting anxiety about support activities such as the content and duration of one activity, and the level of anxiety before and after activities. After performing multiple regression analyses on the effects of the attributes and the factors influencing anxiety before and after support activities, path analysis was conducted on the adopted independent variables to examine their influence on anxiety before and after support activities. RESULTS: Of the 886 participants, 82.3% were affiliated with educational institutions and 94.8% had no qualifications in disaster relief. Most of the support involved vaccination and activities at health centers. The relationship between pre- and post-relief activities and factors influencing anxiety constituted a high goodness-of-fit, with health center assistance being both a direct and indirect reinforcer of post-relief anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Participants expressed anxiety enhanced by activities at the health center both before and after support activities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Intervention research should examine anxiety-buffering and -enhancing factors, and a support system to respond to rapidly increasing medical needs is necessary.

Cuprizone short-term exposure: astrocytic IL-6 activation and behavioral changes relevant to psychosis.

A growing body of evidence suggests the involvement of inflammatory processes in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Four- to 8-week exposure to cuprizone, a copper chelator, causes robust demyelination and has been used to build a model for multiple sclerosis. In contrast, we report here the effects of 1-week cuprizone exposure in mice. This short-term cuprizone exposure elicits behavioral changes that include augmented responsiveness to methamphetamine and phencyclidine, as well as impaired working memory. The cellular effects of 1-week cuprizone exposure differ substantially from the longer-term exposure; perturbation of astrocytes and microglia is induced without any sign of demyelination. Furthermore, the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 was significantly up-regulated in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells. We propose that this cuprizone short-term exposure may offer a model to study some aspects of biology relevant to schizophrenia and related conditions.

Identification of transcription factors involved in rice secondary cell wall formation.

Using co-expression network analysis, we identified 123 transcription factors (TFs) as candidate secondary cell wall regulators in rice. To validate whether these TFs are associated with secondary cell wall formation, six TF genes belonging to the MYB, NAC or homeodomain-containing TF families were overexpressed or downregulated in rice. With the exception of OsMYB58/63-RNAi plants, all transgenic plants showed phenotypes possibly related to secondary cell wall alteration, such as dwarfism, narrow and dark green leaves, and also altered rice cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase 2 (OsCAD2) gene expression and lignin content. These results suggest that many of the 123 candidate secondary cell wall-regulating TFs are likely to function in secondary cell wall formation in rice. Further analyses were performed for the OsMYB55/61 and OsBLH6 TFs, the former being a TF in which the Arabidopsis ortholog is known to participate in lignin biosynthesis (AtMYB61) and the latter being one for which no previous involvement in cell wall formation has been reported even in Arabidopsis (BLH6). OsMYB55/61 and OsBLH6-GFP fusion proteins localized to the nucleus of onion epidermal cells. Moreover, expression of a reporter gene driven by the OsCAD2 promoter was enhanced in rice calli when OsMYB55/61 or OsBLH6 was transiently expressed, demonstrating that they function in secondary cell wall formation. These results show the validity of identifying potential secondary cell wall TFs in rice by the use of rice co-expression network analysis.

Blood vessel remodeling in the cerebral cortex induced by binge alcohol intake in mice.

Ethanol is toxic to the brain and causes various neurological disorders. Although ethanol can directly exert toxicity on neurons, it also acts on other cell types in the central nervous system. Blood vessel endothelial cells interact with, and are affected by blood ethanol. However, the effects of ethanol on the vascular structures of the brain have not been well documented. In this study, we examined the effects of binge levels of ethanol on brain vasculature. Immunostaining analysis indicated structural alterations of blood vessels in the cerebral cortex, which became more tortuous than those in the control mice after ethanol administration. The interaction between the blood vessels and astrocytes decreased, especially in the upper layers of the cerebral cortex. Messenger RNA expression analysis revealed a unique downregulation of Vegfa mRNA encoding vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A among VEGF, angiopoietin, endothelin family angiogenic and blood vessel remodeling factors. The expression of three proteoglycan core proteins, glypican-5, neurocan, and serglycin, was also altered after ethanol administration. Thus, binge levels of ethanol affect the expression of VEGF-A and blood vessel-supporting proteoglycans, resulting in changes in the vascular structure of the cerebral cortex. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43188-022-00164-y.

Anterior Insula-Associated Social Novelty Recognition: Pivotal Roles of a Local Retinoic Acid Cascade and Oxytocin Signaling.

OBJECTIVE: Deficits in social cognition consistently underlie functional disabilities in a wide range of psychiatric disorders. Neuroimaging studies have suggested that the anterior insula is a "common core" brain region that is impaired across neurological and psychiatric disorders, which include social cognition deficits. Nevertheless, neurobiological mechanisms of the anterior insula for social cognition remain elusive. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap. METHODS: To determine the role of the anterior insula in social cognition, the authors manipulated expression of Cyp26B1, an anterior insula-enriched molecule that is crucial for retinoic acid degradation and is involved in the pathology of neuropsychiatric conditions. Social cognition was mainly assayed using the three-chamber social interaction test. Multimodal analyses were conducted at the molecular, cellular, circuitry, and behavioral levels. RESULTS: At the molecular and cellular level, anterior insula-mediated social novelty recognition is maintained by proper activity of the layer 5 pyramidal neurons, for which retinoic acid-mediated gene transcription can play a role. The authors also demonstrate that oxytocin influences the anterior insula-mediated social novelty recognition, although not by direct projection of oxytocin neurons, nor by direct diffusion of oxytocin to the anterior insula, which contrasts with the modes of oxytocin regulation onto the posterior insula. Instead, oxytocin affects oxytocin receptor-expressing neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus, where serotonergic neurons are projected to the anterior insula. Furthermore, the authors show that serotonin 5-HT2C receptor expressed in the anterior insula influences social novelty recognition. CONCLUSIONS: The anterior insula plays a pivotal role in social novelty recognition that is partly regulated by a local retinoic acid cascade but also remotely regulated by oxytocin via a long-range circuit mechanism.

OsCAD2 is the major CAD gene responsible for monolignol biosynthesis in rice culm.

Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) catalyzes the last step of monolignol biosynthesis. The rice genome contains 12 CAD-like genes, and whereas the proteins encoded by OsCAD2 and OsCAD7 are known to function in monolignol biosynthesis, the degree to which these enzymes contribute to this process and the involvement of the enzymes encoded by the remaining ten genes is unclear. This paper investigates the role of OsCAD2 and the nine other OsCAD-like proteins in monolignol biosynthesis. Among the OsCAD genes analyzed, OsCAD2, an enzyme belonging to the bona fide CAD phylogenetic group, was the most abundantly expressed gene in the uppermost internode, and was expressed at levels that were more than seven times greater than those of the second most abundantly expressed gene, OsCAD1. Promoter-GUS analysis of OsCAD2 (pCAD::GUS) in the internode, sheath, and roots revealed that GUS expression was strong in tissues that accumulated high levels of lignin. Furthermore, expression always preceded lignin accumulation, showing the tight correlation between OsCAD2 expression and monolignol biosynthesis. Additionally, expression of pCAD::GUS was well synchronized with that of rice caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase (OsCOMT::GUS), suggesting that the two enzymes function cooperatively during monolignol biosynthesis. Co-expression network analysis of eight OsCAD genes further revealed that, among the OsCAD genes, expression of OsCAD2 was most tightly associated with the transcription of lignin biosynthesis-related genes. These results suggest that OsCAD2 is largely responsible for monolignol biosynthesis in rice, which is similar to that indicated for the predominant role of other plant bona fide CAD protein to monolignol biosynthesis.

Dysfunction of mitochondria and GABAergic interneurons in the anterior cingulate cortex of individuals with schizophrenia.

Here we re-analyze RNA-sequencing data from the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of SZ patients using recent methods to improve accuracy and sensitivity of results, such as the quality surrogate variable analysis (qSVA) method and the derfinder R package. We found that genes significantly down-regulated in SZ demonstrated an enrichment for parvalbumin-positive interneurons (FDR < 0.0001). Down-regulated genes were also enriched in oxidative phosphorylation functions (FDR < 0.05). We also addressed whether lifetime exposure to antipsychotics might influence gene expression, highlighting DUSP6, LBH, and NR1D1. Our results support the role of redox imbalance/mitochondrial dysfunction and implicate interneuron subtypes in SZ pathophysiology.

Derivative spectrum chromatographic method for the determination of trimethoprim in honey samples using an on-line solid-phase extraction technique.

A simple, selective and rapid analytical method for determination of trimethoprim (TMP) in honey samples was developed and validated. This method is based on a SPE technique followed by HPLC with photodiode array detection. After dilution and filtration, aliquots of 500 µL honey samples were directly injected to an on-line SPE HPLC system. TMP was extracted on an RP SPE column, and separated on a hydrophilic interaction chromatography column during HPLC analysis. At the first detection step, the noise level of the photodiode array data was reduced with two-dimensional equalizer filtering, and then the smoothed data were subjected to derivative spectrum chromatography. On the second-derivative chromatogram at 254 nm, the limit of detection and the limit of quantification of TMP in a honey sample were 5 and 10 ng/g, respectively. The proposed method showed high accuracy (60-103%) with adequate sensitivity for TMP monitoring in honey samples.

Going around in circles: deciphering the role of circular RNAs in neurodegenerative disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Circular RNAs are highly expressed in the brain, accumulate with ageing and may play important functional roles. Hence, their role in age-related neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, is under active investigation. This review provides an overview of our current knowledge regarding the roles of circular RNAs in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. RECENT FINDINGS: More studies have examined Alzheimer's disease than Parkinson's disease. Circular RNA 7 (ciRS-7) has been implicated in both diseases and may play a causative pathological role in at least Alzheimer's disease. The identification of circular RNA interaction networks is a primary focus. However, different analysis pipelines can generate quite disparate results, hence bioinformatically identified candidate circular RNAs require experimental and functional validation. SUMMARY: Although this field of research is in its infancy, rapid advances holds promise for identifying circular RNAs that are important in neurodegenerative diseases. CiRS-7 is a promising candidate for further examination. More studies are required focussing not only on Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease but also on other neurodegenerative diseases. Whether circular RNAs can be used to inform diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic strategies for age-related neurodegenerative disease remains unclear.

The transcriptome landscape associated with Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia-1 locus impairment in early development and adulthood.

DISC1 was originally expected to be a genetic risk factor for schizophrenia, but the genome wide association studies have not supported this idea. In contrast, neurobiological studies of DISC1 in cell and animal models have demonstrated that direct perturbation of DISC1 protein elicits neurobiological and behavioral abnormalities relevant to a wide range of psychiatric conditions, in particular psychosis. Thus, the utility of DISC1 as a biological lead for psychosis research is clear. In the present study, we aimed to capture changes in the molecular landscape in the prefrontal cortex upon perturbation of DISC1, using the Disc1 locus impairment (Disc1-LI) model in which the majority of Disc1 isoforms have been depleted, and to explore potential molecular mediators relevant to psychiatric conditions. We observed a robust change in gene expression profile elicited by Disc1-LI in which the stronger effects on molecular networks were observed in early stage compared with those in adulthood. Significant alterations were found in specific pathways relevant to psychiatric conditions, such as pathways of signaling by G protein-coupled receptor, neurotransmitter release cycle, and voltage gated potassium channels. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between Disc1-LI and wild-type mice are significantly enriched not only in neurons, but also in astrocytes and oligodendrocyte precursor cells. The brain-disorder-associated genes at the mRNA and protein levels rather than those at the genomic levels are enriched in the DEGs. Together, our present study supports the utility of Disc1-LI mice in biological research for psychiatric disorder-associated molecular networks.

Associations of serum microRNA-20a, -27a, and -103a with cognitive function in a Japanese population: The Yakumo study.

OBJECTIVES: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) dysregulate gene expression by binding to target messenger RNAs, and play an important role in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Circulating miRNAs have increasingly been recognized as biomarkers for detecting and diagnosing those diseases. Few studies have investigated the association of circulating miRNA with the early stages of cognitive impairment, such as mild cognitive impairment, in the general population. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between cognitive function and several serum miRNAs levels related to amyloid precursor protein (APP) proteolysis in a Japanese general population who had never been diagnosed with dementia. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 337 Japanese subjects (144 men, 193 women) who attended a health examination. The short form of the Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) was used to assess cognitive function. Serum levels of 6 miRNAs (let-7d, miR-17, miR-20a, miR-27a, miR-34a, miR-103a) were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for lower SMMSE score (SMMSE score < 28) were significantly increased in the lowest tertile of serum miR-20a (OR, 2.08; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09-4.04) and miR-103a (OR, 1.91; 95%CI, 1.00-3.69) compared to the highest tertile. Moreover, serum levels of miR-20a, -27a, and -103a were linearly and positively associated with SMMSE scores after adjustment for confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Low serum levels of miR-20a, -27a, and -103a are independently associated with cognitive impairment.

Environmental enrichment ameliorates a motor coordination deficit in a mouse model of Rett syndrome--Mecp2 gene dosage effects and BDNF expression.

Rett syndrome, commonly associated with mutations of the methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene, is characterised by an apparently normal early postnatal development followed by deterioration of acquired cognitive and motor coordination skills in early childhood. To evaluate whether environmental factors may influence the disease outcome of Rett syndrome, we tested the effect of environmental enrichment from 4 weeks of age on the behavioural competence of mutant mice harboring a Mecp2 (tm1Tam)-null allele. Our findings show that enrichment improves motor coordination in heterozygous Mecp2+/- females but not Mecp2-/y males. Standard-housed Mecp2+/- mice had an initial motor coordination deficit on the accelerating rotarod, which improved with training then deteriorated in subsequent weeks. Enrichment resulted in a significant reduction in this coordination deficit in Mecp2+/- mice, returning the performance to wild-type levels. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels were 75 and 85% of wild-type controls in standard-housed and environmentally enriched Mecp2+/- cerebellum, respectively. Mecp2-/y mice showed identical deficits of cerebellar BDNF (67% of wild-type controls) irrespective of their housing environment. Our findings demonstrate a positive impact of environmental enrichment in a Rett syndrome model; this impact may be dependent on the existence of one functional copy of Mecp2.

A study on bone mineral density in patients with Crohn's disease.

Decreased bone mineral density is a complication to which we should always pay attention in the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD). However, there is still no clear consensus with regard to evaluation methods and the appropriate observation period for its detection. In the present study, we measured the bone mineral density of 30 CD patients who were treated at the outpatient clinic of our institution and investigated its relationship with various clinical characteristics including sex, age, duration of illness, history of enterectomy, total steroid consumption, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) and with bone metabolism markers. A decreased bone mineral density was detected in 9 patients (30%). The bone mineral density did not correlate with total steroid consumption, but showed a negative correlation with the Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI).When bone metabolism markers were investigated, the bone mineral density showed a negative correlation with Glu-osteocalcin (Glu-OC) and serum type I collagen cross-linked N-telopeptide (NTx) in patients with a low bone mineral density. Based on these results, the decrease of bone mineral density in CD patients was considered to the underlying disease itself. Therefore, control of disease activity is very important in CD patients, and periodic measurement of bone mineral density in combination with bone mineral markers (Glu-OC and serum NTx) may be useful for predicting a decrease of bone mineral density.