The current study used two inbred mouse strains, C57BL/6 J and A/J, to investigate the genetics of behavioral responses to fentanyl. Mice were tested for conditioned place preference and fentanyl-induced locomotor activity. C57BL/6J mice formed a conditioned place preference to fentanyl injections and fentanyl increased their activity. Neither effect was noted in A/J mice. We conducted RNA-sequencing on the nucleus accumbens of mice used for fentanyl-induced locomotor activity. Surprisingly, we noted few differentially expressed genes using treatment as the main factor. However many genes differed between strains.
Authors:
Samuel J Harp, Mariangela Martini, Will Rosenow, Larry D Mesner, Hugh Johnson, Charles R Farber, Emilie F Rissman
Differential gene expression in brainstems of neonatal female mice associated with repeated morphine exposure_pvalue
Description:
Neonatal outbred Swiss Webster Cartworth Farms White (CFW) mice were administered morphine (15 mg/kg, s.c.) twice daily from postnatal day 1 (P1) to P14, an approximation of the third trimester of human gestation. Female and male mice underwent behavioral testing on P7 and P14 to determine the impact of opioid exposure on anxiety and pain sensitivity. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and daily body weights were also recorded. Brainstems containing pons and medulla were collected during morphine withdrawal on P14 for RNA sequencing. Morphine induced weight loss from P2 to P14, which persisted during adolescence (P21) and adulthood (P50). USVs markedly increased at P7 in females, emerging earlier than males. On P7 and P14, both morphine-exposed female and male mice displayed hyperalgesia on the hot plate and tail-flick assays, with females showing greater hyperalgesia than males. Morphine-exposed mice exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior in the open-field arena on P21. Transcriptome analysis of the brainstem, an area implicated in opioid withdrawal and NOWS, identified pathways enriched for noradrenergic signaling in females and males. We also found sex-specific pathways related to mitochondrial function and neurodevelopment in females and circadian entrainment in males.
Differential gene expression in nucleus accumbens somatostatin interneurons_cocaine_mice_pvalue
Description:
To characterize transcriptional alterations that cocaine induces in these cells, we perform cell type-specific RNA-sequencing on FACS-isolated nuclei of somatostatin interneurons and identified 1100 DETs enriched for processes related to neural plasticity. To profile the entire (non poly-A selected) transcriptome of NAc somatostatin interneurons, we generated a transgenic reporter line (SST-TLG498 mice) to label the nuclei of these cells with a modified form of EGFP that is retained in the nuclear membrane (EGFP-F)22, enabling their isolation from NAc dissections using FACS. We succeeded in FACS-isolating nuclei suitable for RNA-sequencing from individual SST-TLG498 mice. We proceeded with differential expression analysis of the RNA-sequencing data to identify differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) in NAc somatostatin interneurons in response to repeated cocaine exposure: 778 transcripts were upregulated by cocaine and 322 were downregulated.
Authors:
Efrain A Ribeiro, Marine Salery, Joseph R Scarpa, Erin S Calipari, Peter J Hamilton, Stacy M Ku, Hope Kronman, Immanuel Purushothaman, Barbara Juarez, Mitra Heshmati, Marie Doyle, Casey Lardner, Dominicka Burek, Ana Strat, Stephen Pirpinias, Ezekiell Mouzon, Ming-Hu Han, Rachael L Neve, Rosemary C Bagot, Andrew Kasarskis, Ja Wook Koo, Eric J Nestler
We investigated the role of microglia in a mouse model of alcohol dependence using a colony stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor (PLX5622) to deplete microglia and a chronic intermittent ethanol vapor two-bottle choice drinking procedure. Additionally, we examined anxiety-like behavior during withdrawal. We then analyzed synaptic neuroadaptations in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) and gene expression changes in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and CeA from the same animals used for behavioral studies.
Microglia depletion and alcohol gene expression logFC
Description:
Alcohol abuse induces changes in microglia morphology and immune function, but whether microglia initiate or simply amplify the harmful effects of alcohol exposure is still a matter of debate. Here, we determine microglia function in acute and voluntary drinking behaviors using a colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor (PLX5622). We show that microglia depletion does not alter the sedative or hypnotic effects of acute intoxication. Microglia depletion also does not change the escalation or maintenance of chronic voluntary alcohol consumption. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that although many immune genes have been implicated in alcohol abuse, down regulation of microglia genes does not necessitate changes in alcohol intake. Instead, microglia depletion and chronic alcohol result in compensatory upregulation of alcohol-responsive, reactive astrocyte genes, indicating astrocytes may play a role in regulation of these alcohol behaviors. Taken together, our behavioral and transcriptional data indicate that microglia are not theprimary effector cell responsible for regulation of acute and voluntary alcohol behaviors. Because microglia depletion did not regulate acute or voluntary alcohol behaviors, we hypothesized that these doses were insufficient to activate microglia and recruit them to an effector phenotype. Therefore, we used a model of repeated immune activation using polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid
Genes identified as expressed higher (up) in the AJ strain than in the NZO strain. Differentially expressed genes had a Q-value < 0.05 following the Benjamini-Hochberg methodology for false discovery rates in the limma+voom pipeline within edgeR. Q-value is reported from the topTable function.
Genes identified as expressed higher (up) in the AJ strain than in the NZO strain. Differentially expressed genes had a Q-value < 0.05 following the Benjamini-Hochberg methodology for false discovery rates in the limma+voom pipeline within edgeR. Q-value is reported from the topTable function.
H3 dopaminylation at glutamine 5 (H3Q5dop) plays a critical role in heroin-mediated transcriptional plasticity in midbrain regions, particularly the VTA. In rats undergoing abstinence from heroin self-administration (SA), we found acute and persistent accumulation of H3Q5dop in VTA. Attenuation of H3Q5dop during abstinence induced persistent changes in gene expression programs associated with neuronal signaling and dopaminergic function in heroin abstinence and led to reduced heroin-seeking behavior. Interestingly, the observed changes in molecular pathways after heroin SA showed significant yet reversed overlap with the same genes altered in cocaine SA.
Authors:
Sasha L Fulton, Swarup Mitra, Ashley E Lepack, Jennifer A Martin, Andrew F Stewart, Jacob Converse, Mason Hochstetler, David M Dietz, Ian Maze
Genes identified as expressed lower (down) in the AJ strain than in the CAST strain. Differentially expressed genes had a Q-value < 0.05 following the Benjamini-Hochberg methodology for false discovery rates in the limma+voom pipeline within edgeR. Q-value is reported from the topTable function.
Genes identified as expressed lower (down) in the AJ strain than in the CAST strain. Differentially expressed genes had a Q-value < 0.05 following the Benjamini-Hochberg methodology for false discovery rates in the limma+voom pipeline within edgeR. Q-value is reported from the topTable function.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are nuclear hormone receptors that act as ligand-activated transcription factors. Although prescribed for dyslipidemia and type-II diabetes, PPAR agonists also possess anti-addictive characteristics. PPAR agonists decrease ethanol consumption and reduce withdrawal severity and susceptibility to stress-induced relapse in rodents. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms facilitating these properties have yet to be investigated. We tested three PPAR agonists in a continuous access two-bottle choice (2BC) drinking paradigm and found that tesaglitazar (PPARα/γ; 1.5 mg/kg) and fenofibrate (PPARα; 150 mg/kg) decreased ethanol consumption in male C57BL/6J mice while bezafibrate (PPARα/γ/β; 75 mg/kg) did not. We hypothesized that changes in brain gene expression following fenofibrate and tesaglitazar treatment lead to reduced ethanol drinking. We studied unbiased genomic profiles in areas of the brain known to be important for ethanol dependence, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and amygdala, and also profiled gene expression in liver. Genomic profiles from the non-effective bezafibrate treatment were used to filter out genes not associated with ethanol consumption. Because PPAR agonists are anti-inflammatory, they would be expected to target microglia and astrocytes. Surprisingly, PPAR agonists produced a strong neuronal signature in mouse brain, and fenofibrate and tesaglitazar (but not bezafibrate) targeted a subset of GABAergic interneurons in the amygdala. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed co-expression of treatment-significant genes. Functional annotation of these gene networks suggested that PPAR agonists might act via neuropeptide and dopaminergic signaling pathways in the amygdala. Our results reveal gene targets through which PPAR agonists can affect alcohol consumption behavior.
Authors:
Laura B Ferguson, Dana Most, Yuri A Blednov, R Adron Harris
Differentially expressed geens in the central amygdala (CeA) of male Sprague-Dawley rats (300-350 g prior to surgery, 325-375 g at start of self-administration) on day 2 following methamphetamine withdrawal. Gene Expression was evaluated via RNA-seq. Data taken from Supplementary Table S2. Values presented are adjusted p-values. Data available from GEO with accession number GSE111243."
Authors:
Hannah M Cates, Xuan Li, Immanuel Purushothaman, Pamela J Kennedy, Li Shen, Yavin Shaham, Eric J Nestler
Differentially expressed geens in the central amygdala (CeA) of male Sprague-Dawley rats (300-350 g prior to surgery, 325-375 g at start of self-administration) on day 35 following methamphetamine withdrawal. Gene Expression was evaluated via RNA-seq. Data taken from Supplementary Table S2. Values presented are adjusted p-values. Data available from GEO with accession number GSE111243."
Authors:
Hannah M Cates, Xuan Li, Immanuel Purushothaman, Pamela J Kennedy, Li Shen, Yavin Shaham, Eric J Nestler
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are nuclear hormone receptors that act as ligand-activated transcription factors. Although prescribed for dyslipidemia and type-II diabetes, PPAR agonists also possess anti-addictive characteristics. PPAR agonists decrease ethanol consumption and reduce withdrawal severity and susceptibility to stress-induced relapse in rodents. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms facilitating these properties have yet to be investigated. We tested three PPAR agonists in a continuous access two-bottle choice (2BC) drinking paradigm and found that tesaglitazar (PPARα/γ; 1.5 mg/kg) and fenofibrate (PPARα; 150 mg/kg) decreased ethanol consumption in male C57BL/6J mice while bezafibrate (PPARα/γ/β; 75 mg/kg) did not. We hypothesized that changes in brain gene expression following fenofibrate and tesaglitazar treatment lead to reduced ethanol drinking. We studied unbiased genomic profiles in areas of the brain known to be important for ethanol dependence, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and amygdala, and also profiled gene expression in liver. Genomic profiles from the non-effective bezafibrate treatment were used to filter out genes not associated with ethanol consumption. Because PPAR agonists are anti-inflammatory, they would be expected to target microglia and astrocytes. Surprisingly, PPAR agonists produced a strong neuronal signature in mouse brain, and fenofibrate and tesaglitazar (but not bezafibrate) targeted a subset of GABAergic interneurons in the amygdala. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed co-expression of treatment-significant genes. Functional annotation of these gene networks suggested that PPAR agonists might act via neuropeptide and dopaminergic signaling pathways in the amygdala. Our results reveal gene targets through which PPAR agonists can affect alcohol consumption behavior.
Authors:
Laura B Ferguson, Dana Most, Yuri A Blednov, R Adron Harris
Differential gene expression in brainstems of neonatal male mice associated with repeated morphine exposure_pvalue
Description:
Neonatal outbred Swiss Webster Cartworth Farms White (CFW) mice were administered morphine (15 mg/kg, s.c.) twice daily from postnatal day 1 (P1) to P14, an approximation of the third trimester of human gestation. Female and male mice underwent behavioral testing on P7 and P14 to determine the impact of opioid exposure on anxiety and pain sensitivity. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and daily body weights were also recorded. Brainstems containing pons and medulla were collected during morphine withdrawal on P14 for RNA sequencing. Morphine induced weight loss from P2 to P14, which persisted during adolescence (P21) and adulthood (P50). USVs markedly increased at P7 in females, emerging earlier than males. On P7 and P14, both morphine-exposed female and male mice displayed hyperalgesia on the hot plate and tail-flick assays, with females showing greater hyperalgesia than males. Morphine-exposed mice exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior in the open-field arena on P21. Transcriptome analysis of the brainstem, an area implicated in opioid withdrawal and NOWS, identified pathways enriched for noradrenergic signaling in females and males. We also found sex-specific pathways related to mitochondrial function and neurodevelopment in females and circadian entrainment in males.
Genes with particular expression in the Anterior olfactory nucleus, dorsal part. Data represent fold expression difference in structure versus grey matter average expression.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex psychiatric disorder with strong genetic and environmental risk factors. We studied the molecular perturbations underlying risky drinking behavior by measuring transcriptome changes across the neurocircuitry of addiction in a genetic mouse model of binge drinking. Sixteen generations of selective breeding for high blood alcohol levels after a binge drinking session produced global changes in brain gene expression in alcohol-naïve High Drinking in the Dark (HDID-1) mice. Using gene expression profiles to generate circuit-level hypotheses, we developed a systems approach that integrated regulation of gene coexpression networks across multiple brain regions, neuron-specific transcriptional signatures, and knowledgebase analytics. Whole-cell, voltage-clamp recordings from nucleus accumbens shell neurons projecting to the ventral tegmental area showed differential ethanol-induced plasticity in HDID-1 and control mice and provided support for one of the hypotheses. There were similarities in gene networks between HDID-1 mouse brains and postmortem brains of human alcoholics, suggesting that some gene expression patterns associated with high alcohol consumption are conserved across species. This study demonstrated the value of gene networks for data integration across biological modalities and species to study mechanisms of disease.
Authors:
Laura B Ferguson, Lingling Zhang, Daniel Kircher, Shi Wang, R Dayne Mayfield, John C Crabbe, Richard A Morrisett, R Adron Harris, Igor Ponomarev
Alcohol transcriptome changes in mice microglia p-value
Description:
Microglia are fundamentally important immune cells within the central nervous system (CNS) that respond to environmental challenges to maintain normal physiological processes. Alterations in steady-state cellular function and over-activation of microglia can facilitate the initiation and progression of neuropathological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Major Depressive Disorder. Alcohol consumption disrupts signaling pathways including both innate and adaptive immune responses that are necessary for CNS homeostasis. Coordinate expression of these genes is not ascertained from an admixture of CNS cell-types, underscoring the importance of examining isolated cellular populations to reveal systematic gene expression changes arising from mature microglia. Unbiased RNA-Seq profiling was used to identify gene expression changes in isolated prefrontal cortical microglia in response to recurring bouts of voluntary alcohol drinking behavior. The voluntary ethanol paradigm utilizes long-term consumption ethanol that results in escalated alcohol intake and altered cortical plasticity that is seen in humans. Gene coexpression analysis identified a coordinately regulated group of genes, unique to microglia, that collectively are associated with alcohol consumption. Genes within this group are involved in toll-like receptor signaling and transforming growth factor beta signaling. Network connectivity of this group identified Siglech as a putative hub gene and highlighted the potential importance of proteases in the microglial response to chronic ethanol. In conclusion, we identified a distinctive microglial gene expression signature for neuroimmune responses related to alcohol consumption that provides valuable insight into microglia-specific changes underlying the development of substance abuse, and possibly other CNS disorders.
Authors:
Gizelle M McCarthy, Sean P Farris, Yuri A Blednov, R Adron Harris, R Dayne Mayfield
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