HDAC6 regulates glucocorticoid receptor signaling in serotonin pathways with critical impact on stress resilience.

Genetic variations in certain components of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) chaperone complex have been associated with the development of stress-related affective disorders and individual variability in therapeutic responses to antidepressants. Mechanisms that link GR chaperoning and stress susceptibility are not well understood. Here, we show that the effects of glucocorticoid hormones on socioaffective behaviors are critically regulated via reversible acetylation of Hsp90, a key component of the GR chaperone complex. We provide pharmacological and genetic evidence indicating that the cytoplasmic lysine deacetylase HDAC6 controls Hsp90 acetylation in the brain, and thereby modulates Hsp90-GR protein-protein interactions, as well as hormone- and stress-induced GR translocation, with a critical impact on GR downstream signaling and behavior. Pet1-Cre-driven deletion of HDAC6 in serotonin neurons, the densest HDAC6-expressing cell group in the mouse brain, dramatically reduced acute anxiogenic effects of the glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone in the open-field, elevated plus maze, and social interaction tests. Serotonin-selective depletion of HDAC6 also blocked the expression of social avoidance in mice exposed to chronic social defeat and concurrently prevented the electrophysiological and morphological changes induced, in serotonin neurons, by this murine model of traumatic stress. Together, these results identify HDAC6 inhibition as a potential new strategy for proresilience and antidepressant interventions through regulation of the Hsp90-GR heterocomplex and focal prevention of GR signaling in serotonin pathways. Our data thus uncover an alternate mechanism by which pan-HDAC inhibitors may regulate stress-related behaviors independently of their action on histones.

Intron retention facilitates splice variant diversity in calcium-activated big potassium channel populations.

We report that the stress axis-regulated exon (STREX)-containing calcium-activated big potassium (BKCa) channel splice variant expression and physiology are regulated in part by cytoplasmic splicing and intron retention. NextGen sequencing of the mRNA complement of pooled hippocampal dendrite samples found intron 17a (i17a), the intron immediately preceding STREX, in the BKCa mRNA. Further molecular analyses of i17a revealed that the majority of i17a-containing BKCa channel mRNAs associate with STREX. i17a siRNA treatment followed by STREX protein immunocytochemistry demonstrated both reduced levels and altered subcellular distribution of STREX-containing BKCa channel protein. Selective reduction of i17a-BKCa or STREX-BKCa mRNAs induced similar changes in the burst firing properties of hippocampal neurons. Collectively, these data show that STREX splice variant regulation via cytoplasmic splicing and intron retention helps generate STREX-dependent BKCa current diversity in hippocampal neurons.

Transcriptome transfer produces a predictable cellular phenotype.

Cellular phenotype is the conglomerate of multiple cellular processes involving gene and protein expression that result in the elaboration of a cell's particular morphology and function. It has been thought that differentiated postmitotic cells have their genomes hard wired, with little ability for phenotypic plasticity. Here we show that transfer of the transcriptome from differentiated rat astrocytes into a nondividing differentiated rat neuron resulted in the conversion of the neuron into a functional astrocyte-like cell in a time-dependent manner. This single-cell study permits high resolution of molecular and functional components that underlie phenotype identity. The RNA population from astrocytes contains RNAs in the appropriate relative abundances that give rise to regulatory RNAs and translated proteins that enable astrocyte identity. When transferred into the postmitotic neuron, the astrocyte RNA population converts 44% of the neuronal host cells into the destination astrocyte-like phenotype. In support of this observation, quantitative measures of cellular morphology, single-cell PCR, single-cell microarray, and single-cell functional analyses have been performed. The host-cell phenotypic changes develop over many weeks and are persistent. We call this process of RNA-induced phenotype changes, transcriptome-induced phenotype remodeling.

Cytoplasmic BK(Ca) channel intron-containing mRNAs contribute to the intrinsic excitability of hippocampal neurons.

High single-channel conductance K+ channels, which respond jointly to membrane depolarization and micromolar concentrations of intracellular Ca2+ ions, arise from extensive cell-specific alternative splicing of pore-forming alpha-subunit mRNAs. Here, we report the discovery of an endogenous BK(Ca) channel alpha-subunit intron-containing mRNA in the cytoplasm of hippocampal neurons. This partially processed mRNA, which comprises approximately 10% of the total BK(Ca) channel alpha-subunit mRNAs, is distributed in a gradient throughout the somatodendritic space. We selectively reduced endogenous cytoplasmic levels of this intron-containing transcript by RNA interference without altering levels of the mature splice forms of the BK(Ca) channel mRNAs. In doing so, we could demonstrate that changes in a unique BK(Ca) channel alpha-subunit intron-containing splice variant mRNA can greatly impact the distribution of the BK(Ca) channel protein to dendritic spines and intrinsic firing properties of hippocampal neurons. These data suggest a new regulatory mechanism for modulating the membrane properties and ion channel gradients of hippocampal neurons.

Privigen® has similar pharmacokinetic properties in primary and secondary immune deficiency.

PURPOSE: Primary (PID) and secondary immune deficiencies (SID) represent diverse groups of diagnoses, yet both can be effectively treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) replacement therapy. Guidelines for the use of IVIG in SID vary due to the paucity of data. The objective was to analyze available IVIG Privigen® (IgPro10, CSL Behring, Bern, Switzerland) data on Efficiency Index (EI) and pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters in patients with PID and SID. METHODS: Three Privigen® studies (NCT00168025, NCT00322556, and the observational study IgPro10_5001) were used to identify patients with PID and SID meeting the qualifying criteria for the PK analysis. PK properties of IVIG were estimated using a population PK model based on a standard two-compartment PK model. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) EI was calculated as the gain in serum IgG level per unit external IgG dose. RESULTS: A similar IVIG dose-serum IgG concentration relationship was observed in patients with PID (N = 90) and SID (N = 91). IgG EI was inversely proportional to the endogenous IgG concentration and comparable in PID (slope = -1.079) and SID (slope = -2.12). CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the disposition of Privigen® is similar during IgG replacement therapy in PID and SID. The results contribute to the understanding of IVIG treatment of SID and may support an evidence-based approach for the use of IVIG in SID in the future.

Enhancement of stress resilience through histone deacetylase 6-mediated regulation of glucocorticoid receptor chaperone dynamics.

BACKGROUND: Acetylation of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) regulates downstream hormone signaling via the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), but the role of this molecular mechanism in stress homeostasis is poorly understood. We tested whether acetylation of Hsp90 in the brain predicts and modulates the behavioral sequelae of a mouse model of social stress. METHODS: Mice subjected to chronic social defeat stress were stratified into resilient and vulnerable subpopulations. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function was probed using a dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing factor test. Measurements of Hsp90 acetylation, Hsp90-GR interactions, and GR translocation were performed in the dorsal raphe nucleus. To manipulate Hsp90 acetylation, we pharmacologically inhibited histone deacetylase 6, a known deacetylase of Hsp90, or overexpressed a point mutant that mimics the hyperacetylated state of Hsp90 at lysine K294. RESULTS: Lower acetylated Hsp90, higher GR-Hsp90 association, and enhanced GR translocation were observed in dorsal raphe nucleus of vulnerable mice after chronic social defeat stress. Administration of ACY-738, a histone deacetylase 6-selective inhibitor, led to Hsp90 hyperacetylation in brain and in neuronal culture. In cell-based assays, ACY-738 increased the relative association of Hsp90 with FK506 binding protein 51 versus FK506 binding protein 52 and inhibited hormone-induced GR translocation. This effect was replicated by overexpressing the acetylation-mimic point mutant of Hsp90. In vivo, ACY-738 promoted resilience to chronic social defeat stress, and serotonin-selective viral overexpression of the acetylation-mimic mutant of Hsp90 in raphe neurons reproduced the behavioral effect of ACY-738. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperacetylation of Hsp90 is a predictor and causal molecular determinant of stress resilience in mice. Brain-penetrant histone deacetylase 6 inhibitors increase Hsp90 acetylation and modulate GR chaperone dynamics offering a promising strategy to curtail deleterious socioaffective effects of stress and glucocorticoids.

Antidepressant-like properties of novel HDAC6-selective inhibitors with improved brain bioavailability.

HDAC inhibitors have been reported to produce antidepressant and pro-cognitive effects in animal models, however, poor brain bioavailability or lack of isoform selectivity of current probes has limited our understanding of their mode of action. We report the characterization of novel pyrimidine hydroxyl amide small molecule inhibitors of HDAC6, brain bioavailable upon systemic administration. We show that two compounds in this family, ACY-738 and ACY-775, inhibit HDAC6 with low nanomolar potency and a selectivity of 60- to 1500-fold over class I HDACs. In contrast to tubastatin A, a reference HDAC6 inhibitor with similar potency and peripheral activity, but more limited brain bioavailability, ACY-738 and ACY-775 induce dramatic increases in α-tubulin acetylation in brain and stimulate mouse exploratory behaviors in novel, but not familiar environments. Interestingly, despite a lack of detectable effect on histone acetylation, we show that ACY-738 and ACY-775 share the antidepressant-like properties of other HDAC inhibitors, such as SAHA and MS-275, in the tail suspension test and social defeat paradigm. These effects of ACY-738 and ACY-775 are directly attributable to the inhibition of HDAC6 expressed centrally, as they are fully abrogated in mice with a neural-specific loss of function of HDAC6. Furthermore, administered in combination, a behaviorally inactive dose of ACY-738 markedly potentiates the anti-immobility activity of a subactive dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram. Our results validate new isoform-selective probes for in vivo pharmacological studies of HDAC6 in the CNS and reinforce the viability of this HDAC isoform as a potential target for antidepressant development.

Methotrexate modulates folate phenotype and inflammatory profile in EA.hy 926 cells.

EA.hy 926 cells grown under low folate conditions adopt a "pro-atherosclerotic" morphology and biochemical phenotype. Pharmacologically relevant doses of the antifolate drug methotrexate (MTX) were applied to EA.hy 926 cells maintained in normal (Hi) and low (Lo) folate culture media. Under both folate conditions, MTX caused inhibition of cell proliferation without significantly compromising metabolic activity. MTX treated Hi cells were depleted of folate derivatives, which were present in altered proportions relative to untreated cells. Transcript profiling using microarrays indicated that MTX treatment modified the transciptome in similar ways for both Hi and Lo cells. Many inflammation-related genes, most prominently those encoding C3 and IL-8, were up-regulated, whereas many genes involved in cell division were down-regulated. The results for C3 and IL-8 were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA. MTX appears to modify the inflammatory potential of EA.hy 926 cells such that its therapeutic properties may, at least under some conditions, be accompanied by the induction of a subset of gene products that promote and/or maintain comorbid pathologies.

Pemetrexed alters folate phenotype and inflammatory profile in EA.hy 926 cells grown under low-folate conditions.

Elevated homocysteine is a risk marker for several major human pathologies. Emerging evidence suggests that perturbations of folate/homocysteine metabolism can directly modify production of inflammatory mediators. Pemetrexed acts by inhibiting thymidylate synthetase (TYMS), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), and glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase (GARFT). EA.hy 926 cells grown under low ("Lo") and high ("Hi") folate conditions were treated with pemetrexed. The concentrations of several intracellular folate derivatives were measured using LC-MRM/MS. Lo cells had lower total folate concentrations and a different distribution of the intracellular folate derivatives than Hi cells. Treatment with pemetrexed caused a decrease in individual folate analytes. Microarray analysis showed that several genes were significantly up or down-regulated in pemetrexed treated Lo cells. Several of the significantly up-regulated transcripts were inflammatory. Changes in transcript levels of selected targets, including C3, IL-8, and DHFR, were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. C3 and IL-8 transcript levels were increased in pemetrexed-treated Lo cells relative to Lo controls; DHFR transcript levels were decreased. In Lo cells, IL-8 and C3 protein concentrations were increased following pemetrexed treatment. Pemetrexed drug treatment was shown in this study to have effects that lead to an increase in pro-inflammatory mediators in Lo cells. No such changes were observed in Hi cells, suggesting that pemetrexed could not modify the inflammatory profile in the context of cellular folate sufficiency.

Insulin causes hyperthermia by direct inhibition of warm-sensitive neurons.

OBJECTIVE: Temperature and nutrient homeostasis are two interdependent components of energy balance regulated by distinct sets of hypothalamic neurons. The objective is to examine the role of the metabolic signal insulin in the control of core body temperature (CBT). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The effect of preoptic area administration of insulin on CBT in mice was measured by radiotelemetry and respiratory exchange ratio. In vivo 2-[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose uptake into brown adipose tissue (BAT) was measured in rats after insulin treatment by positron emission tomography combined with X-ray computed tomography imaging. Insulin receptor-positive neurons were identified by retrograde tracing from the raphe pallidus. Insulin was locally applied on hypothalamic slices to determine the direct effects of insulin on intrinsically warm-sensitive neurons by inducing hyperpolarization and reducing firing rates. RESULTS: Injection of insulin into the preoptic area of the hypothalamus induced a specific and dose-dependent elevation of CBT mediated by stimulation of BAT thermogenesis as shown by imaging and respiratory ratio measurements. Retrograde tracing indicates that insulin receptor-expressing warm-sensitive neurons activate BAT through projection via the raphe pallidus. Insulin applied on hypothalamic slices acted directly on intrinsically warm-sensitive neurons by inducing hyperpolarization and reducing firing rates. The hyperthermic effects of insulin were blocked by pretreatment with antibodies to insulin or with a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that insulin can directly modulate hypothalamic neurons that regulate thermogenesis and CBT and indicate that insulin plays an important role in coupling metabolism and thermoregulation at the level of anterior hypothalamus.

Melanocyte-like cells in the heart and pulmonary veins contribute to atrial arrhythmia triggers.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common clinical cardiac arrhythmia. It is often initiated by ectopic beats arising from the pulmonary veins and atrium, but the source and mechanism of these beats remains unclear. The melanin synthesis enzyme dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) is involved in intracellular calcium and reactive species regulation in melanocytes. Given that dysregulation of intracellular calcium and reactive species has been described in patients with atrial fibrillation, we investigated the role of DCT in this process. Here, we characterize a unique DCT-expressing cell population within murine and human hearts that populated the pulmonary veins, atria, and atrioventricular canal. Expression profiling demonstrated that this population expressed adrenergic and muscarinic receptors and displayed transcriptional profiles distinct from dermal melanocytes. Adult mice lacking DCT displayed normal cardiac development but an increased susceptibility to atrial arrhythmias. Cultured primary cardiac melanocyte-like cells were excitable, and those lacking DCT displayed prolonged repolarization with early afterdepolarizations. Furthermore, mice with mutations in the tyrosine kinase receptor Kit lacked cardiac melanocyte-like cells and did not develop atrial arrhythmias in the absence of DCT. These data suggest that dysfunction of melanocyte-like cells in the atrium and pulmonary veins may contribute to atrial arrhythmias.

In vivo identification of ribonucleoprotein-RNA interactions.

To understand the role of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in the regulation of gene expression, methods are needed for the in vivo identification of RNA-protein interactions. We have developed the peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-assisted identification of RBP technology to enable the identification of proteins that complex with a target RNA in vivo. Specific regions of the 3' and 5' UTRs of ankylosis mRNA were targeted by antisense PNAs transported into cortical neurons by the cell-penetrating peptide transportan 10. An array of proteins was isolated in complex with or near the targeted regions of the ankylosis mRNA through UV-induced crosslinking of the annealed PNA-RNA-RBP complex. The first evidence for pharmacological modulation of these specific protein-RNA associations was observed. These data show that the PNA-assisted identification of the RBP technique is a reliable method to rapidly identify proteins interacting in vivo with the target RNA.