Correlations of Expression Levels of Lung Cancer Marker Gene Eno2 and Genes of Carcinogenesis and Apoptosis in the Hypothalamus of Mice with Depression-Like Behavior.

We experimentally demonstrated that chronic social stress during the development of a depression-like state enhances lung metastasis and modifies the expression of many carcinogenesis- and apoptosis-related genes in the hypothalamus of mice, including genes involved in lung cancer pathogenesis in humans. Analysis of the expression of genes encoding the major clinical markers of lung cancer in the hypothalamus of mice with depression-like behavior revealed increased expression of the Eno2 gene encoding neuron-specific enolase, a blood marker of lung cancer progression in humans. It was shown that the expression of this gene in the hypothalamus correlated with the expression of many carcinogenesis- and apoptosis-related genes. The discovered phenomenon may have a fundamental significance and requires further studies.

[Changes in the Expression of Dopaminergic Genes in Brain Structures of Male Mice Exposed to Chronic Social Defeat Stress: An RNA-seq Study].

Whole-transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) has been used to analyze changes in the expression of dopaminergic genes that encode proteins involved in the synthesis, inactivation, and neurotransmission of dopamine in the striatum, ventral tegmental area, raphe nuclei of the midbrain, hypothalamus, and hippocampus of male mice subjected to chronic social defeat. The expression of Th, Ddc, and Slc6A3 (Dat1) was upregulated, while that of Ppp1r1b and Sncg was downregulated in the ventral tegmental area; the expression of Th, Ddc, Drd2, and Sncg was downregulated in the raphe nuclei of midbrain; the expression of Th, Aldh2, and Ppp1r1b was upregulated, while that of Маоа was downregulated in the hypothalamus; Drd1 and Snca expression was downregulated and that of Sncb was upregulated in the striatum, and Sncb expression was upregulated in the hippocampus. There were no statistically significant changes in the expression of Comt, Maob, Drd3, Drd4, or Drd5 in the brain areas analyzed in stressed male mice (compared to control animals). Thus, the number of differentially expressed dopaminergic genes and the direction of expression changes in male mice experiencing chronic stress are specific to regions of the brain.

Limiting effect of diazepam on Lewis Lung carcinoma metastasis in anxious male mice.

AIM: It has been shown previously that chronic social defeat stress produces development of strong anxiety and increases intensity of experimental metastasis in the losers in comparison with the winners and control mice. The question was: is it possible to decrease the number of metastases in the losers by chronic or acute diazepam treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sensory contact model was used for generating male mice with repeated experience of social victories or defeats in daily agonistic interactions. Tumor cells of Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) were injected into the tail vein of animals after 10 days of agonistic interactions. Then mice were treated acutely or chronically (7 days) with diazepam (1 mg/kg, i. p). Number of metastases in the lung was calculated in 16 days after tumor cell transplantation. RESULTS: Diazepam decreased the number of LLC metastases in anxious losers, whereas in the winners and control mice, without anxiety state, diazepam was ineffective. CONCLUSION: Well-known anxiolytic diazepam may decrease intensity of metastasis in anxious mice.

The influence of psychoemotional status on metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma and hepatocarcinoma-29 in mice of C57BL/6J and CBA/Lac strains.

AIM: To study the influence of psychoemotional status on the development of experimental lung metastases of strain-specific murine Lewis lung carcinoma in C57BL/6J mice and hepatocarcinoma-29 in CBA/Lac male mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sensory contact model was used for generating animals with repeated experience of social victories or defeat in daily agonistic interactions. Tumor cells were injected into the tail vein after 20 days of aggressive confrontations and the number of metastases in the lung was calculated 16 days later. RESULTS: The experimental metastasis is shown to develop differently in mice with opposing social experience: the winners of both strains had significantly less metastases in the lung than the losers. CONCLUSION: The results obtained indicate that psychoemotional status affects Lewis lung carcinoma and hepatocarcinoma-29 metastasis in male mice.