Muscle inactivation of mTOR causes metabolic and dystrophin defects leading to severe myopathy

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key regulator of cell growth that associates with raptor and rictor to form the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2, respectively. Raptor is required for oxidative muscle integrity, whereas rictor is dispensable. In this study, we show that muscle-specific inactivation of mTOR leads to severe myopathy, resulting in premature death. mTOR-deficient muscles display metabolic changes similar to those observed in muscles lacking raptor, including impaired oxidative metabolism, altered mitochondrial regulation, and glycogen accumulation associated with protein kinase B/Akt hyperactivation. In addition, mTOR-deficient muscles exhibit increased basal glucose uptake, whereas whole body glucose homeostasis is essentially maintained. Importantly, loss of mTOR exacerbates the myopathic features in both slow oxidative and fast glycolytic muscles. Moreover, mTOR but not raptor and rictor deficiency leads to reduced muscle dystrophin content. We provide evidence that mTOR controls dystrophin transcription in a cell-autonomous, rapamycin-resistant, and kinase-independent manner. Collectively, our results demonstrate that mTOR acts mainly via mTORC1, whereas regulation of dystrophin is raptor and rictor independent

Muscle inactivation of mTOR causes metabolic and dystrophin defects leading to severe myopathy

mTor, acting mainly via mTORC1, controls dystrophin transcription in a raptor- and rictor-independent mechanism

Translational control of depression-like behavior via phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E

Translation of mRNA into protein has a fundamental role in neurodevelopment, plasticity, and memory formation; however, its contribution in the pathophysiology of depressive disorders is not fully understood. We investigated the involvement of MNK1/2 (MAPK-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 and 2) and their target, eIF4E (eukaryotic initiation factor 4E), in depression-like behavior in mice. Mice carrying a mutation in eIF4E for the MNK1/2 phosphorylation site (Ser209Ala, Eif4e ki/ki), the Mnk1/2 double knockout mice (Mnk1/2 -/-), or mice treated with the MNK1/2 inhibitor, cercosporamide, displayed anxiety-and depression-like behaviors, impaired serotonin-induced excitatory synaptic activity in the prefrontal cortex, and diminished firing of the dorsal raphe neurons. In Eif4e ki/ki mice, brain IκBα, was decreased, while the NF-κB target, TNFα was elevated. TNFα inhibition in Eif4e ki/ki mice rescued, whereas TNFα administration to wild-type mice mimicked the depression-like behaviors and 5-HT synaptic deficits. We conclude that eIF4E phosphorylation modulates depression-like behavior through regulation of inflammatory responses

Differential regulation of neurogenesis along the septo-temporal axis of the hippocampus : implications for the functional contribution of newborn neurons to the pathophysiology of depression

Les nouveaux neurones de l’hippocampe semblent contribuer à l’action thérapeutique des antidépresseurs. La nature fonctionnelle de cette contribution est cependant inconnue. En stimulant la neurogenèse les antidépresseurs pourraient renforcer certaines fonctions de l’hippocampe et ainsi permettre la rémission. Nous montrons dans ce travail que les nouveaux neurones peuvent contribuer à l’action thérapeutique des antidépresseurs en participant au renforcement de rétrocontrôle hippocampique sur la régulation de l’axe HPA, potentiellement via leur rôle dans la capacité de l’hippocampe à moduler l’activité des autres structures impliquées dans la régulation du stress, comme le noyau du lit de la strie terminale. Les différentes composantes fonctionnelles de l’hippocampe sont cependant topographiquement distribuées le long de son axe septo-temporal. A travers une approche corrélative nous avons montré que différents antidépresseurs régulent la neurogenèse différentiellement le long de l’axe septo-temporal. Cela suggère des mécanismes de régulation régiondépendants et que la contribution des nouveaux neurones dans les effets des antidépresseurs pourrait être multiple et sous tendue par des composantes fonctionnelles différentes, et non limitée à la régulation de l’axe du stress.Hippocampal newborn neurons contribute to some extent to the therapeutic effects of antidepressants. Mechanisms involved in this contribution remain however elusive. By increasing the recruitment of newborn neurons antidepressants could improve several hippocampal functions and thus allow remission. Here we demonstrate that newborn neurons may contribute to the therapeutic effects of antidepressants by allowing the recovery of a proper hippocampal inhibitory feedback over the HPA axis, possibly by normalizing the communication between the hippocampus and stress integrative structures mediating its inhibitory influence, such as the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Hippocampal functions are however topographically segregated along its septo-temporal axis. Here we show that different mood-improving manipulations differentially regulate neurogenesis along this septo-temporal axis. This suggest different region-specific mechanisms involved in the regulation of neurogenesis and that newborn neurons may contribute to the therapeutic effects of antidepressants by modulating different aspects of hippocampal functions

Bricks without mortar 30 years of single homelessness

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Evidence of decreased gap junction coupling between astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the anterior cingulate cortex of depressed suicides

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Is unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) a reliable model to study depression-induced neuroinflammation?

International audienceUnipolar depression is one of the leading causes of disability. The pathophysiology of depression is poorly understood. Evidence suggests that inflammation is associated with depression. For instance, pro-inflammatory cytokines are found to be elevated in the peripheral blood of depressed subjects. Cytokine immunotherapy itself is known to induce depressive symptoms. While the epidemiological and biochemical relationship between inflammation and depression is strong, little is known about the possible existence of neuroinflammation in depression. The use of animal models of depression such as the Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress (UCMS) has already contributed to the elucidation of the pathophysiological mechanisms of depression such as decreased neurogenesis and HPA axis alterations. We used this model to explore the association of depressive-like behavior in mice with changes in peripheral pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNFα and IL-6 level as well as the neuroinflammation by quantifying CD11b expression in brain areas known to be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. These areas include the cerebral cortex, the nucleus accumbens, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the caudate putamen, the amygdala and the hippocampus. The results indicate that microglial activation is significantly increased in the infralimbic, cingulate and medial orbital cortices, nucleus accumbens, caudate putamen, amygdala and hippocampus of the mouse brain as a function of UCMS, while levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines did not differ among the groups. This finding suggests that neuroinflammation occurs in depression and may be implicated in the subject's behavioral response. They also suggest that UCMS could be a potentially reliable model to study depression-induced neuroinflammation

Role of D3 dopamine receptors in modulating neuroanatomical changes in response to antipsychotic administration

International audienceClinical research has shown that chronic antipsychotic drug (APD) treatment further decreases cortical gray matter and hippocampus volume, and increases striatal and ventricular volume in patients with schizophrenia. D2-like receptor blockade is necessary for clinical efficacy of the drugs, and may be responsible for inducing these volume changes. However, the role of other D2-like receptors, such as D3, remains unclear. Following our previous work, we undertook a longitudinal study to examine the effects of chronic (9-week) typical (haloperidol (HAL)) and atypical (clozapine (CLZ)) APDs on the neuroanatomy of wild-type (WT) and dopamine D3-knockout (D3KO) mice using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological assessments in a sub-region of the anterior cingulate cortex (the prelimbic [PL] area) and striatum. D3KO mice had larger striatal volume prior to APD administration, coupled with increased glial and neuronal cell density. Chronic HAL administration increased striatal volume in both WT and D3KO mice, and reduced PL area volume in D3KO mice both at trend level. CLZ increased volume of the PL area of WT mice at trend level, but decreased D3KO PL area glial cell density. Both typical and atypical APD administration induced neuroanatomical remodeling of regions rich in D3 receptor expression, and typically altered in schizophrenia. Our findings provide novel insights on the role of D3 receptors in structural changes observed following APD administration in clinical populations

Resilience to chronic stress is mediated by noradrenergic regulation of dopamine neurons

International audienceDopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) help mediate stress susceptibility and resilience. However, upstream mechanisms controlling these neurons remain unknown. Noradrenergic (NE) neurons in the locus coeruleus, implicated in the pathophysiology of depression, have direct connections within the VTA. Here we demonstrate that NE neurons regulate vulnerability to social defeat through inhibitory control of VTA DA neurons