scholarly journals The Impact of Chronic Mild Stress and Agomelatine Treatment on the Expression Level and Methylation Status of Genes Involved in Tryptophan Catabolic Pathway in PBMCs and Brain Structures

Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1093
Author(s):  
Paulina Wigner ◽  
Ewelina Synowiec ◽  
Paweł Jóźwiak ◽  
Piotr Czarny ◽  
Katarzyna Białek ◽  
...  

Depression is the serious mental disorder. Previous studies suggest that the development mechanism of depression may be associated with disorders of the tryptophan catabolic pathway (TRYCAT). Thus, this study investigates the effect of agomelatine treatment on the expression and methylation status of genes involved in TRYCAT in the brain and blood of rats exposed to a chronic mild stress (CMS). Separate groups of rats were exposed to CMS for two or seven weeks; the second group received vehicle or agomelatine for five weeks. After completion of both stress conditions and treatment, the expression levels of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein, as well as the methylation status of promoters, were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and in brain structures with the use of TaqMan Gene Expression Assay, Western blot, and methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting techniques. In PBMCs, Kmo mRNA expression increased in the group after CMS, while this effect was normalized by agomelatine therapy. In brain, KatI and KatII expression changed following CMS exposure. Moreover, CMS decreased the methylation status of the second Tdo2 promoter in the amygdala. Protein expression of Tph1, Tph2, Ido1, and KatII changed in the group after CMS and agomelatine administration, most prominently in the basal ganglia, cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. The results indicate that CMS and agomelatine affect the mRNA and protein expression, as well as the methylation of promoters of genes involved in the tryptophan catabolic pathway.

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 667
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Bialek ◽  
Piotr Czarny ◽  
Paulina Wigner ◽  
Ewelina Synowiec ◽  
Gabriela Barszczewska ◽  
...  

Preclinical studies conducted to date suggest that depression could be elicited by the elevated expression of proinflammatory molecules: these play a key role in the mediation of neurochemical, neuroendocrine and behavioral changes. Thus, this study investigates the effect of chronic mild stress (CMS) and administration of venlafaxine (SSRI) on the expression and methylation status of new target inflammatory genes: TGFA, TGFB, IRF1, PTGS2 and IKBKB, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBCs) and in selected brain structures of rats. Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to the CMS and further divided into matched subgroups to receive vehicle or venlafaxine. TaqMan gene expression assay and methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) were used to evaluate the expression of the genes and the methylation status of their promoters, respectively. Our results indicate that both CMS and chronic treatment with venlafaxine were associated with changes in expression of the studied genes and their promoter methylation status in PMBCs and the brain. Moreover, the effect of antidepressant administration clearly differed between brain structures. Summarizing, our results confirm at least a partial association between TGFA, TGFB, IRF1, PTGS2 and IKBKB and depressive disorders.


Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 644
Author(s):  
Paulina Wigner ◽  
Ewelina Synowiec ◽  
Paweł Jóźwiak ◽  
Piotr Czarny ◽  
Michał Bijak ◽  
...  

Preclinical studies conducted so far suggest that oxidative stress processes may be associated with the mechanism of depression development. This study shows the effects of chronic administration of agomelatine on expression and the methylation status of Sod1, Sod2, Gpx1, Gpx4, Cat, Nos1, and Nos2 in the brain stricture and blood in the chronic mild stress (CMS) animal model of depression. The animals were exposed to the CMS procedure and treatment with agomelatine (10 mg/kg/day, IP) for five weeks and then were sacrificed. TaqMan Gene Expression Assay, Western blot, and methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting techniques were used to evaluate mRNA and protein expression of the genes, and the methylation status of their promoters. Gpx1, Gpx4, and Sod2 expression in the PBMCs and Sod1 and Sod2 expression in the brain were reduced in the stressed group after agomelatine administration. CMS caused an increase in the methylation of the third Gpx4 promoter in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and Gpx1 promoter in the cerebral cortex. Additionally, stressed rats treated with agomelatine displayed a significantly lower Gpx4 level in the hypothalamus. The results confirm the hypothesis that the CMS procedure and agomelatine administration change the expression level and methylation status of the promoter region of genes involved in oxidative and nitrosative stress.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Paulina Wigner ◽  
Ewelina Synowiec ◽  
Paweł Jóźwiak ◽  
Piotr Czarny ◽  
Michał Bijak ◽  
...  

Previous studies suggest that depression may be associated with reactive oxygen species overproduction and disorders of the tryptophan catabolites pathway. Moreover, one-third of patients do not respond to conventional pharmacotherapy. Therefore, the study investigates the molecular effect of escitalopram on the expression of Cat, Gpx1/4, Nos1/2, Tph1/2, Ido1, Kmo, and Kynu and promoter methylation in the hippocampus, amygdala, cerebral cortex, and blood of rats exposed to CMS (chronic mild stress). The animals were exposed to CMS for two or seven weeks followed by escitalopram treatment for five weeks. The mRNA and protein expression of the genes were analysed using the TaqMan Gene Expression Assay and Western blotting, while the methylation was determined using methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting. The CMS caused an increase of Gpx1 and Nos1 mRNA expression in the hippocampus, which was normalised by escitalopram administration. Moreover, Tph1 and Tph2 mRNA expression in the cerebral cortex was increased in stressed rats after escitalopram therapy. The methylation status of the Cat promoter was decreased in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of the rats after escitalopram therapy. The Gpx4 protein levels were decreased following escitalopram compared to the stressed/saline group. It appears that CMS and escitalopram influence the expression and methylation of the studied genes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 721
Author(s):  
Afshin Derakhshani ◽  
Zahra Asadzadeh ◽  
Hossein Safarpour ◽  
Patrizia Leone ◽  
Mahdi Abdoli Shadbad ◽  
...  

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that is characterized by inflammation which typically results in significant impairment in most patients. Immune checkpoints act as co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules and play a fundamental role in keeping the equilibrium of the immune system. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), as inhibitory immune checkpoints, participate in terminating the development of numerous autoimmune diseases, including MS. We assessed the CTLA-4 and PD-L1 gene expression in the different cell types of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of MS patients using single-cell RNA-seq data. Additionally, this study outlines how CTLA-4 and PD-L1 expression was altered in the PBMC samples of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients compared to the healthy group. Finally, it investigates the impact of various MS-related treatments in the CTLA-4 and PD-L1 expression to restrain autoreactive T cells and stop the development of MS autoimmunity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Hu ◽  
Xiaoqian Shang ◽  
Liang Wang ◽  
Jiahui Fan ◽  
Yue Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Aim Brucellar spondylitis (BS) is one of the most serious complications of brucellosis. CXCR3 is closely related to the severity of disease infection. This research aimed to study the degree of BS inflammatory damage through analyzing the expression levels of CXCR3 and its ligands (CXCL9 and CXCL10) in patients with BS. Methods A total of 29 BS patients and 15 healthy controls were enrolled. Real-Time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3, CXCL9 and CXCL10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of BS patients and healthy controls. Hematoxylin-Eosin staining was used to show the pathological changes in BS lesion tissues. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to show the protein expression levels of Brucella-Ab, IFN-γ, CXCR3, CXCL9 and CXCL10 in BS lesion tissues. At the same time, ELISA was used to detect the serum levels of IFN-γ, CXCL9 CXCL10 and autoantibodies against CXCR3 in patients with BS. Results In lesion tissue of BS patients, it showed necrosis of cartilage, acute or chronic inflammatory infiltration. Brucella-Ab protein was abundantly expressed in close lesion tissue. And the protein expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and CXCL10 were highly expressed in close lesion tissue and serum of BS patients. At the same time, the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and CXCL10 in PBMCs of BS patients were significantly higher than those in controls. Conclusion In our research, the expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and its ligands were significantly higher than those in controls. It suggested that high expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and its ligands indicated a serious inflammatory damage in patients with BS.


2012 ◽  
Vol 209 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Jöckel ◽  
Gernot Nees ◽  
Romy Sommer ◽  
Yang Zhao ◽  
Dmitry Cherkasov ◽  
...  

Foreign RNA serves as pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) and is a potent immune stimulator for innate immune receptors. However, the role of single bacterial RNA species in immune activation has not been characterized in detail. We analyzed the immunostimulatory potential of transfer RNA (tRNA) from different bacteria. Interestingly, bacterial tRNA induced type I interferon (IFN) and inflammatory cytokines in mouse dendritic cells (DCs) and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Cytokine production was TLR7 dependent because TLR7-deficient mouse DCs did not respond and TLR7 inhibitory oligonucleotides inhibited tRNA-mediated activation. However, not all bacterial tRNA induced IFN-α because tRNA from Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 and Thermus thermophilus were non-immunostimulatory. Of note, tRNA from an E. coli knockout strain for tRNA (Gm18)-2′-O-methyltransferase (trmH) regained immunostimulatory potential. Additionally, in vitro methylation of this immunostimulatory Gm18-negative tRNA with recombinant trmH from T. thermophilus abolished its IFN-α inducing potential. More importantly, Gm18-modified tRNA acted as TLR7 antagonist and blocked IFN-α induction of influenza A virus–infected PBMCs.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (16) ◽  
pp. 3439-3447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Parlati ◽  
Susan J. Lee ◽  
Monette Aujay ◽  
Erika Suzuki ◽  
Konstantin Levitsky ◽  
...  

Abstract Carfilzomib is a proteasome inhibitor in clinical development that primarily targets the chymotrypsin-like (CT-L) subunits in both the constitutive proteasome (c20S) and the immunoproteasome (i20S). To investigate the impact of inhibiting the CT-L activity with carfilzomib, we set out to quantitate the levels of CT-L subunits β5 from the c20S and LMP7 from the i20S in normal and malignant hematopoietic cells. We found that the i20S is a major form of the proteasome expressed in cells of hematopoietic origin, including multiple myeloma (MM) CD138+ tumor cells. Although specific inhibition of either LMP7 or β5 alone was insufficient to produce an antitumor response, inhibition of all proteasome subunits was cytotoxic to both hematologic tumor cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. However, selective inhibition of both β5 and LMP7 was sufficient to induce an antitumor effect in MM, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and leukemia cells while minimizing the toxicity toward nontransformed cells. In MM tumor cells, CT-L inhibition alone was sufficient to induce proapoptotic sequelae, including proteasome substrate accumulation, Noxa and caspase 3/7 induction, and phospho-eIF2α suppression. These data support a hypothesis that hematologic tumor cells are uniquely sensitive to CT-L inhibition and provide a mechanistic understanding of the clinical safety profile and antitumor activity of proteasome inhibitors.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Maria Jurkiewicz ◽  
Anett Müller-Alcazar ◽  
Dirk Moser ◽  
Indralatha Jayatilaka ◽  
Anatoly Mikhailik ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: The impact of psychosocial stress on a variety of negative health outcomes is well documented, with current research efforts directed at possible mechanisms. Here, we focused on a potential mechanism involving differential expression of mRNA and microRNA in response to acute psychosocial stress. We utilized a validated behavioral paradigm, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), to induce acute psychosocial stress in a cohort of volunteers. Stress reactivity was assessed repeatedly during the TSST using saliva samples that were analyzed for levels of cortisol. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were extracted from blood drawn at baseline and at two time points following the stress paradigm. Total RNA was extracted, and mRNA and microRNA microarrays were utilized to assess within-subject changes in gene expression between baseline and the two post-stressor time points. Results: For microarray gene expression analysis, we focused on 12 participants who showed a robust cortisol response to the task, as an indicator of robust HPA-axis activation. We discovered a set of mRNAs and miRNAs that exhibited dynamic expression change in response to the TSST in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, further characterizing the link between psychosocial stress and cellular response mechanisms.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cantong Zhang ◽  
Xiaoping Hong ◽  
Haiyan Yu ◽  
Hongwei Wu ◽  
Huixuan Xu ◽  
...  

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoinflammatory disease with an elusive etiology. Assays for transposase-accessible chromatin with single-cell sequencing (scATAC-seq) contribute to the progress in epigenetic studies. However, the impact of epigenetic technology on autoimmune diseases has not been objectively analyzed. Therefore, scATAC-seq was performed to generate a high-resolution map of accessible loci in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of RA patients at the single-cell level. The purpose of our project was to discover the transcription factors (TFs) that were involved in the pathogenesis of RA at single-cell resolution. In our research, we obtained 22 accessible chromatin patterns. Then, 10 key TFs were involved in the RA pathogenesis by regulating the activity of MAP kinase. Consequently, two genes (PTPRC, SPAG9) regulated by 10 key TFs were found that may be associated with RA disease pathogenesis and these TFs were obviously enriched in RA patients (p<0.05, FC>1.2). With further qPCR validation on PTPRC and SPAG9 in monocytes, we found differential expression of these two genes, which were regulated by eight TFs (ZNF384, HNF1B, DMRTA2, MEF2A, NFE2L1, CREB3L4 (var. 2), FOSL2::JUNB (var. 2), MEF2B). What is more, the eight TFs showed highly accessible binding sites in RA patients. These findings demonstrate the value of using scATAC-seq to reveal transcriptional regulatory variation in RA-derived PBMCs, providing insights on therapy from an epigenetic perspective.


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