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Apoptosis is controlled by the balance between pro- (Bax) and anti-(Bcl-2, Bcl-xl) apoptotic proteins within the cell. Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl interact with Bax in the outer mitochondrial membrane and regulate the release of cytochrome c, which activates caspases, the main executors of apoptosis. The increased ratio of pro- vs. antiapoptotic proteins is associated with an enhanced vulnerability to apoptotic activation. The chronic mild stress (CMS) procedure induces depression-like symptoms in animals. The rats subjected for a prolonged period of time to a variety of mild stressors gradually decrease their responsiveness to rewarding stimuli (e.g., consumption of sweet pellets). We aimed to investigate the expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-xl and Bax mRNAs in the thalamus of rats subjected to the 3-weeks CMS. Three groups of male Wistar rats, selected basing on behavioral test of sucrose (1% solution) consumption – sham, stress reactive and stress non-reactive, were considered. The mRNA expression was measured by quantitative RT-PCR applying TaqMan probes. We found that in the thalamus of rats developing anhedonia to sucrose consumption after the CMS, the mRNA expression of both anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl) and pro-apoptotic (Bax) genes was significantly attenuated, though to a various extent. In the stress reactive animals, the Bcl-2 mRNA was decreased by 57% (p<0.01), Bcl-xl – by 51% (p<0.05) and Bax – by 24% (p<0.05), while no change was noticed in the stress non-reactive animals. Further analysis revealed a significant decrease in the Bcl-2/Bax and Bcl-xl/Bax ratios (respectively, by 48% and 25%; p<0.01) in the stress reactive animals, and no change in case of the stress non-reactive animals. Our results suggest that the behavioral reactiveness of rats to the CMS is associated with the enhanced susceptibility to apoptotic activation and development of apoptotic processes in the thalamus. Supported by statutory funds of the Institute of Pharmacology, PAS.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Stress plays a crucial role in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and schizophrenia. In animals, chronic stress impairs several brain systems, including dopaminergic (DA) neurotransmission. DA, apart from its involvement in the brain mechanisms of reward, regulates cognitive functions that are likewise disrupted in depression and schizophrenia. The impact of chronic stress on this regulation is, however, much less recognized. METHODS: One of the many models used in preclinical studies on the interaction between stress and human diseases is a chronic mild stress (CMS) procedure. In this model animals, subjected to a variety of mild stressors for a period of several weeks, develop impairments, which show striking similarity to symptoms of human depression and schizophrenia. The purpose of this project was to study the effect of intracranial injections of agonists and antagonists of D1, D2 and D3 on behaviour of control animals and stressed animals in the Novel Object Recognition (NOR) test. RESULTS: It was found that in the control animals a significant and dose-dependent improvement of the NOR behaviour was caused by D1 agonist SKF 81297 (0.05–0.75 µg) injected into prefrontal cortex (PFX), hippocampus (HPC) and nucleus accumbens septi (NAS), D2 agonist Quinpirole (0.1–5 µg) injected into PFX and HPC, and D3 antagonist SB 277-011 (0.1–1 µg) injected into PFX and HPC. The enhancement of novel object exploration induced by Quinpirole (1 and 5 µg) and SB 277-011 (0.5 and 1 µg), but not by SKF 81297 (0.2 and 0.5 µg), was substantially attenuated in animals subjected to the CMS procedure. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence that the regulation of recognition memory by the limbic D2 and D3 receptors is under a potent influence of prolonged stress, and are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying pathology of affective and psychotic diseases.
Cerebral α1-adrenoceptors (α1-AR) are known to be changed by stress conditions and involved inthe mechanism of antidepressant action. The chronic mild stress (CMS) procedure that induces depression-like symptoms in animals is a useful tool to study the mechanisms of action of antidepressant drugs in animals. We aimed to investigate the expression of α1A-, α1B-, and α1D-AR mRNAs in the hippocampus of rats subjected to the standard CMS procedure and then treated with an antidepressant drug, imipramine (IMI). Five groups of male Wistar rats were considered in the study: sham-saline; stress-saline; sham-IMI; stress-IMI and IMI-non-responders (i.e., stressed rats, which did not respond to IMI treatment). The expression of α1-ARs was measured at the level of mRNA (by quantitative real-time PCR) and their total density analyzed by [3H]prazosin autoradiography. We found that both CMS procedure and IMI-treatment did not affect the expression of all α1-AR mRNAs. However, in rats non-responding to IMI treatment in behavioral test, the expression of α1A- , α1B- and α1D-AR mRNAs was signifi cantly increased (respectively, by 81%, P<0.01 78%, P<0.01; 46%, P<0.5) compared to sham-saline and stressIMI groups. Similar direction of change was seen in α1-AR total density. Our results suggest the involvement of all subtypes of α1- adrenoceptor in the phenomenon of resistance of depressive animal to IMI treatment. Supported by statutory funds of the Institute of Pharmacology, PAS.
The chronic mild stress (CMS) procedure induces depression-like symptoms in animals. In this model of animals’ depression, rats subjected for a prolonged period of time to a variety of mild stressors gradually decrease their responsiveness to rewarding stimuli (e.g., consumption of sweet pellets). Cerebral alpha1-adrenoceptors (alpha1-AR) are known to be essential for behavioral activation in rodents and changed by stress conditions. Molecular and pharmacological studies revealed the existence of three subtypes of alpha1-AR, named alpha1A, alpha1B and alpha1D. These alpha1-ARs are widely expressed in the brain, though the functional differences among individual subtypes are not clear. We aimed to investigate the expression of alpha1A-, alpha1B- and alpha1D-AR mRNAs in the thalamus, the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex of rats subjected to the standard CMS procedure. Three groups of male Wistar rats were selected based on behavioral test of sucrose (1 % solution) consumption and were considered in the molecular study: sham, stress reactive and stress non-reactive in the behavioral test. The expression of alpha1-AR mRNAs was measured by quantitative real-time PCR method with the use of TaqMan probes. We found that CMS procedure differently affected the expression of the alpha1-AR mRNAs and the changes were brain structureand receptor subtype-dependent. No changes in expression of three subtypes of alpha1-AR mRNAs was found in the prefrontal cortex. In the thalamus of rats that developed anhedonia to sucrose consumption after the CMS, the expression of all alpha1-AR subtypes was significantly attenuated: the alpha1A mRNA was decreased by 52%, alpha1B - by 55% and alpha1D - by 57% (p<0.05) in the stress reactive animals, while no change in the alpha1-ARs expression was observed in the stress non-reactive animals. In the hippocampus, an opposite direction of change was observed and the effect was limited to the alpha1B-AR mRNA which was increased in the stress reactive group of animals (by 128 %, p<0.5, vs. sham group). Similarly to the thalamus, the alpha1-ARs level in the hippocampus was unchanged in the group of stress non-reactive animals. Our results indicate that CMS induces changes in all subtypes of thalamic alpha1-ARs and suggest the significant impairment of noradrenergic transmission in the thalamus of stress reactive rats. In addition, the hippocampal alpha1B receptor seems to be specifically involved in the phenomenon of response of animals to CMS. Supported by a grant POIG.01.01.02-12-004/09-00 financed by European Regional Development Fund.
The morphological and anatomical features of ligules of some Poa species (members of Poa pratensis group: P. pratensis, P. angustifolia, P. humilis; species outside the group: P. compressa, P. alpina) were studied by light and scanning electron microscopy. They are described in detail, emphasizing interspecific differences and habitat-dependent variation of shape, length and prickle hair density. All ligules studied are membranous, without veins and stomata-like structures, and may have only a few mesophyll-like cells. The P. pratensis ligule rarely contains short prickle hairs. Short leaflike prickle hairs occur densely on the ligule of P. angustifolia. The ligule of P. humilis is densely covered by long prickle hairs. The long prickle hairs of P. compressa end in elongated, curved apexes. There are no prickle hairs on the ligule of P. alpina. The density of hairs on the abaxial surface is habitat-dependent for all species studied. Ligule anatomy in the P. pratensis group is quite uniform, leading them to be grouped as closely related species, but the line differences identified are useful for their identification.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The chronic mild stress (CMS) procedure induces depression-like symptoms in animals. In this model, rats subjected for a prolonged time to mild stressors gradually decrease their responsiveness to rewarding stimuli. This deficit can be effectively reversed by chronic antidepressant treatment. Apoptotic changes in the prefrontal cortex were shown in animal stress models, as well as degenerative changes, which are reversed by antidepressant treatment in depressed patients. We aimed to study the apoptotic signaling-related genes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of rats treated with imipramine (IMI) in CMS model. METHODS: First, we used the TaqMan Low Density Arrays to indentify genes in the three groups of Wistar rats: sham-saline; stressIMI-responders and stress-IMI-nonresponders (the sucrose intake score did not return to the control level). Then, these groups of rats and two additional ones (stress-saline and sham-IMI) were assessed in the PCR reactions with one TaqMan probe for detailed mRNA analysis of the identified genes. Finally, the levels of these proteins were assessed by Western Blot in all experimental groups. RESULTS: We found that CMS decreased the expression of Pmaip1 mRNA (by 18%) and the effect remained unchanged in rats nonresponding behaviorally to IMI treatment. Furthermore, in rats nonresponding to IMI treatment, the Rock1 mRNA was decreased by 40% vs. sham and IMI responding rats. However, at the Rock1 protein level its decreased expression was observed in both groups, the IMI nonresponding and IMI responding animals (by 22% and 29%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the involvement of apoptotic Pmaip1 and Rock1 genes in the process of response to IMI treatment in CMS model of depression in rats. Supported by statutory funds of the Institute of Pharmacology PAS and POIG.01.01.02-12-004/09-00 grant financed by European Regional Development Fund.
Heat shock proteins HSP70 play a protective role against stressinduced damage of cells. We assessed the expression of inducible Hsp72 in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HIP) of male Wistar rats subjected to the chronic mild stress (CMS), the procedure inducing depression-like symptoms, and subsequently Different brain areas are thought to be integrated into largescale networks. Recent approaches for investigating structural organization and functional coordination within these networks involve measures of connectivity among brain areas. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be used to analyze the functional state of the cerebral cortex, discovering changes in its excitability, connectivity and plasticity which may have occurred through processes such as learning or recovery from a lesion. We review studies using in vivo functional brain connectivity technologies. TMS-EEG studies have begun to describe the nature of the TMS-evoked EEG responses in order to broaden the comprehension of the activation mechanisms of TMS. Several studies have proved the power of TMS-EEG by displaying many data about the excitability or connectivity of the brain. Particularly, it has been proposed that the very first part of the TMS evoked EEG response displays the excitability of the stimulated cortex while its spatio-temporal distribution over the scalp displays the spread of activation to other cortical areas – via intra and inter-hemispheric cortico-cortical connections as well as to sub-cortical structures and spinal cord via projection fibres – that means the effective connectivity of the stimulated area. Finally effective connectivity may be considered as the union of structural and functional connectivity. These studies provide insights into the relationships between brain structure and function.
Despite many years of research on depression the mechanism of the disorder remains elusive. Many studies are focused on dysfunction of central monoaminergic systems and some evidence exist for the role of α1-adrenoceptor (α1-AR). There are three subtypes of this receptor - α1A, α1B and α1D, which are widely distributed in brain. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of all three α1-AR, both at the mRNA and at the protein level in the hippocampi of male Wistar rats, subjected to the chronic mild stress (CMS) procedure followed by treatment with antidepressant drug, imipramine (IMI). Five groups of animals were studied: sham-saline; stress-saline; sham-IMI; stress-IMIresponders and stress-IMI-non-responders. The latter included the stressed animals resistant to IMI treatment as indicated by anhedonia test. The mRNA level was measured using qRT-PCR and SybrGreen dye, and the protein level was assessed by Western blotting. We found that mRNA expression of all α1-AR subtypes was significantly elevated only in the IMI-non-responders group (α1A-AR by 76%; α1B-AR by 96%; α1D-AR by 50%, vs. shamsaline). Moreover, stress alone caused an increase in α1A-AR mRNA (by 41%) though the effect was statistically insignificant. Changes found in the protein level were less pronounced. The only difference between IMI-responders and non-responders was found in α1A receptor protein that was decreased by 73% vs IMIresponders. The level of α1D protein was elevated in all IMI treated groups (by about 79%, vs. sham-saline) and the change occurred independently on stress procedure. No change in the α1B protein was found. Our results indicate that although α1A-AR and α1D-AR are involved in mechanism of IMI action, only the α1A receptor seems to be engaged in the phenomenon of resistance to IMI treatment. Supported by a grant POIG.01.01.02-12-004/09-00 financed by European Regional Development Fund.
Several studies have suggested that modulation of the glutamatergic system via metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu) could be a new, efficient way to achieve antipsychotic-like effects. Such an activity was shown for mGlu2/3 and mGlu5 receptor agonists/positive modulators, as well as for ACPT-I or LSP1-2111, a non-selective mGlu group III receptors orthosteric agonists. Herein, we report the pharmacological actions of Lu AF21934 and Lu AF32615, a novel, selective and brain-penetrant positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the mGlu4receptor with proven anxiolytic, but not antidepressant-like activity, in several tests reflecting positive, negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia in rodents. MK-801- and amphetamine-induced hyperactivities, as well as DOI-induced head twitches in mice were used as models for positive symptoms. Furthermore, the effect of Lu AF21934 on DOI-induced frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in slices from mouse brain frontal cortices was investigated. The MK-801 induced disruption of social interaction and of spatial delayed alternation in rats were used as models for negative and cognitive symptoms, respectively. Lu AF21934 (0.1, 0.5, 2 and 5 mg/kg) and Lu AF32615 (2, 5 and 10 mg/kg) dose-dependently inhibited both MK-801 and amphetamine-induced hyperactivities. Concomitantly, Lu AF 21935, an inactive enantiomer of Lu AF21934, was not effective. Moreover, the drugs antagonized DOI-induced head twitches in mice. DOI-induced increased frequency of spontaneous EPSCs was also decreased by Lu AF21395 and Lu AF32615. The MK-801-induced disruption in the social interaction test, measured as number of episodes and total time of episodes between two rats, was abolished by Lu AF21394 at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg and Lu AF32615 at a dose of 10 mg/kg. In the delayed spatial alternation test, the effective doses of Lu AF21934 were 1 and 2 mg/kg, and the AF32615 was active at a dose of 10 mg/kg. Altogether, we propose that mGlu4 receptor can be consider as promising target for the development of novel antipsychotic drugs, acting as a positive allosteric modulators of the receptor.
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