Transcriptomic discovery and comparative analysis of neuropeptide precursors in sea cucumbers (Holothuroidea)

This research was supported by Agricultural Research Development Agency (Public Organization), Thailand

Sex Differences in the Effects of Acute and Chronic Stress and Recovery after Long-Term Stress on Stress-Related Brain Regions of Rats

Studies show that sex plays a role in stress-related depression, with women experiencing a higher vulnerability to its effect. Two major targets of antidepressants are brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element–binding protein (CREB). The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of CREB, phosphorylation of CREB (pCREB), and BDNF in stress-related brain regions of male and female rats after stress and recovery. CREB and pCREB levels were examined in CA1, CA2, CA3, paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), amygdala, anterior cingulate area, dorsal part (ACAd), and infralimbic area of prefrontal cortex (PFC), whereas dentate gyrus (DG) and prelimbic area (PL) of PFC were examined for BDNF levels. Our results demonstrate that levels of CREB and pCREB in male CA1, CA2 and CA3, PVT, amygdala, and ACAd were reduced by stress, whereas the same brain regions of female rats exhibited no change. BDNF levels were decreased by chronic stress in female PL but were increased by acute stress in female DG. BDNF levels in male DG and PL were found not to undergo change in response to stress. Abnormalities in morphology occurred after chronic stress in males but not in females. In all cases, the levels of CREB, pCREB, and BDNF in recovery animals were comparable to the levels of these proteins in control animals. These findings demonstrate a sexual dimorphism in the molecular response to stress and suggest that these differences may have important implications for potential therapeutic treatment of depression

Neuropeptide precursors and neuropeptides in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicas: a genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic analysis

The sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus is a foodstuff with very high economic value in China, Japan and other countries in south-east Asia. It is at the heart of a multibillion-dollar industry and to meet demand for this product, aquaculture methods and facilities have been established. However, there are challenges associated with optimiz

Animal models of autism with a particular focus on the neural basis of changes in social behaviour:An update article

Research on autism has been gaining more and more attention. However, its aetiology is not entirely known and several factors are thought to contribute to the development of this neurodevelopmental disorder. These potential contributing factors range from genetic heritability to environmental effects. A significant number of reviews have already been published on different aspects of autism research as well as focusing on using animal models to help expand current knowledge around its aetiology. However, the diverse range of symptoms and possible causes of autism have resulted in as equally wide variety of animal models of autism. In this update article we focus only on the animal models with neurobehavioural characteristics of social deficit related to autism and present an overview of the animal models with alterations in brain regions, neurotransmitters, or hormones that are involved in a decrease in sociability. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved

Running wheel access fails to resolve impaired sustainable health in mice feeding a high fat sucrose diet

Diet and physical activity are thought to affect sustainable metabolic health and survival. To improve understanding, we studied survival of mice feeding a low-fat (LF) or high-saturated fat/high sugar (HFS) diet, each with or without free running wheel (RW) access. Additionally several endocrine and metabolic health indices were assessed at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of age. As expected, HFS feeding left-shifted survival curve of mice compared to LF feeding, and this was associated with increased energy intake and increased (visceral/total) adiposity, liver triglycerides, and increased plasma cholesterol, corticosterone, HOMA-IR, and lowered adiponectin levels. Several of these health parameters improved (transiently) by RW access in HFS and LF fed mice (i.e., HOMA-IR, plasma corticosterone), others however deteriorated (transiently) by RW access only in HFS-fed mice (i.e., body adiposity, plasma resistin, and free cholesterol levels). Apart from these multiple and sometimes diverging health effects of RW access, RW access did not affect survival curves. Important to note, voluntary RW activity declined with age, but this effect was most pronounced in the HFS fed mice. These results thus challenge the hypothesis that voluntary wheel running can counteract HFS-induced deterioration of survival and metabolic health

Running wheel access fails to resolve impaired sustainable health in mice feeding a high fat sucrose diet

Diet and physical activity are thought to affect sustainable metabolic health and survival. To improve understanding, we studied survival of mice feeding a low-fat (LF) or high-saturated fat/high sugar (HFS) diet, each with or without free running wheel (RW) access. Additionally several endocrine and metabolic health indices were assessed at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of age. As expected, HFS feeding left-shifted survival curve of mice compared to LF feeding, and this was associated with increased energy intake and increased (visceral/total) adiposity, liver triglycerides, and increased plasma cholesterol, corticosterone, HOMA-IR, and lowered adiponectin levels. Several of these health parameters improved (transiently) by RW access in HFS and LF fed mice (i.e., HOMA-IR, plasma corticosterone), others however deteriorated (transiently) by RW access only in HFS-fed mice (i.e., body adiposity, plasma resistin, and free cholesterol levels). Apart from these multiple and sometimes diverging health effects of RW access, RW access did not affect survival curves. Important to note, voluntary RW activity declined with age, but this effect was most pronounced in the HFS fed mice. These results thus challenge the hypothesis that voluntary wheel running can counteract HFS-induced deterioration of survival and metabolic health

Increased oxytocin concentrations and prosocial feelings in humans after ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) administration.

Contains fulltext : 80229.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or "ecstasy") is a recreationally used drug with remarkable and characteristic prosocial effects. In spite of abundant attention in the scientific literature, the mechanism of its prosocial effects has not been elucidated in humans. Recently, research in animals has suggested that the neuropeptide oxytocin may induce these effects. In a double blind, randomized, crossover, and placebo-controlled study in 15 healthy volunteers we assessed blood oxytocin and MDMA concentrations and subjective prosocial effects after oral administration of 100 mg MDMA or placebo. MDMA induced a robust increase of blood oxytocin concentrations and an increase of subjective prosocial feelings. Within subjects, the variations in these feelings were significantly and positively correlated with variation in oxytocin levels, and the correlations between these feelings and oxytocin were significantly stronger than those between these feelings and blood MDMA levels. MDMA induces oxytocin release in humans, which may be involved in the characteristic prosocial effects of ecstasy

Age and Diet Modulate the Insulin-Sensitizing Effects of Exercise:A Tracer-Based Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

Diet modulates the development of insulin resistance during aging. This includes tissue-specific alterations in insulin signaling and mitochondrial function, which ultimately affect glucose homeostasis. Exercise stimulates glucose clearance, mitochondrial lipid oxidation and enhances insulin sensitivity. It is not well known how exercise interacts with age and diet in the development of insulin resistance. To investigate this, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) with a tracer were conducted in mice ranging from 4 to 21 months of age, fed a low- (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD), with or without life-long voluntary access to a running wheel (RW). We developed a computational model to derive glucose fluxes, which were commensurate with independent values from steady-state tracer infusions. Both insulin sensitivity indices derived for peripheral tissues and liver (IS-P and IS-L, respectively) were steeply decreased by aging and a HFD. This preceded the age-dependent decline in the mitochondrial capacity to oxidize lipids. In LFD young animals, RW access enhanced the IS-P concomitantly with the muscle β- oxidation capacity. Surprisingly, RW access completely prevented the age-dependent IS-L decrease, but only in LFD animals. This study indicates, therefore, that endurance exercise can improve the age-dependent decline in organ-specific IS mostly in the context of a healthy diet.</p