On the role of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors in anxiety and depression

On the basis of extensive basic and clinical studies, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and its related family members are considered to play a pivotal role in stress-related disorders, such as anxiety and depression. CRH is regarded as the principal mediator in the brain of the stress response, as it mediates neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral responses to stressful challenges. Recently, this neuropeptide family has expanded due to the discovery of two new members, urocortin II (also termed stresscopin-related peptide) and urocortin III (also termed stresscopin), which are selective agonists for the CRH receptor type 2. They show a discrete neuroanatomical localization and are involved in stress-coping responses, such as anxiolysis. Here, on the basis of recent developments, we suggest that CRH, the urocortins, and their receptors form a complex system in the brain, which is recruited during both the acute and the recovery phases of the stress response

Circadian and Ultradian Rhythms of Free Glucocorticoid Hormone Are Highly Synchronized between the Blood, the Subcutaneous Tissue, and the Brain

Total glucocorticoid hormone levels in plasma of various species, including humans, follow a circadian rhythm that is made up from an underlying series of hormone pulses. In blood most of the glucocorticoid is bound to corticosteroid-binding globulin and albumin, resulting in low levels of free hormone. Although only the free fraction is biologically active, surprisingly little is known about the rhythms of free glucocorticoid hormones. We used single-probe microdialysis to measure directly the free corticosterone levels in the blood of freely behaving rats. Free corticosterone in the blood shows a distinct circadian and ultradian rhythm with a pulse frequency of approximately one pulse per hour together with an increase in hormone levels and pulse height toward the active phase of the light/dark cycle. Similar rhythms were also evident in the subcutaneous tissue, demonstrating that free corticosterone rhythms are transferred from the blood into peripheral target tissues. Furthermore, in a dual-probe microdialysis study, we demonstrated that the circadian and ultradian rhythms of free corticosterone in the blood and the subcutaneous tissue were highly synchronized. Moreover, free corticosterone rhythms were also synchronous between the blood and the hippocampus. These data demonstrate for the first time an ultradian rhythm of free corticosterone in the blood that translates into synchronized rhythms of free glucocorticoid hormone in peripheral and central tissues. The maintenance of ultradian rhythms across tissue barriers in both the periphery and the brain has important implications for research into aberrant biological rhythms in disease and for the development of improved protocols for glucocorticoid therapy

Regionalization and connectivity in the Gulf of Cádiz and Alborán Sea implication for marine spatial planning and coastal management

This work proposes a regionalization of marine waters south of the Iberian Peninsula based on empirical orthogonal functions and GIS analysis. The regions identified are consistent and correspond to hydrological mesoscale and macroscale structures well characterized from physical and biological viewpoints. Although it is difficult to determine the boundaries of a fluid continuously moving, the procedure used recognizes the most frequent patterns and can be used to reference geographically the most likely position of the limit among the regions. Once established the regions, the connectivity among them is addressed by means of geostrophic currents derived from altimetry data. The main geostrophic circulation pattern depict an elevate connectivity in the area that might facilitate the conservation and recovering of species, but also imply a higher vulnerability to negative externalities and highlight the need of models, marine spatial planning, and coastal management approaches that includes the pelagic ecosystem and connectivity of the seas. Furthermore, the results confirm that the cooperation between public authorities at different levels (local, regional, state) as well as among riparian countries is essential for marine spatial planning and prevention of potential risk derived from upcoming marine activities in the framework of the 2020 agenda and Blue Growth strategy.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Acute stress enhances heterodimerization and binding of corticosteroid receptors at glucocorticoid target genes in the hippocampus

A stressful event results in secretion of glucocorticoid hormones, which bind to mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) in the hippocampus to regulate cognitive and affective responses to the challenge. MRs are already highly occupied by low glucocorticoid levels under baseline conditions, whereas GRs only become substantially occupied by stress- or circadian-driven glucocorticoid levels. Currently, however, the binding of MRs and GRs to glucocorticoid-responsive elements (GREs) within hippocampal glucocorticoid target genes under such physiological conditions in vivo is unknown. We found that forced swim (FS) stress evoked increased hippocampal RNA expression levels of the glucocorticoid-responsive genes FK506-binding protein 5 (Fkbp5), Period 1 (Per1), and serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (Sgk1). Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis showed that this stressor caused substantial gene-dependent increases in GR binding and surprisingly, also MR binding to GREs within these genes. Different acute challenges, including novelty, restraint, and FS stress, produced distinct glucocorticoid responses but resulted in largely similar MR and GR binding to GREs. Sequential and tandem ChIP analyses showed that, after FS stress, MRs and GRs bind concomitantly to the same GRE sites within Fkbp5 and Per1 but not Sgk1. Thus, after stress, MRs and GRs seem to bind to GREs as homo- and/or heterodimers in a gene-dependent manner. MR binding to GREs at baseline seems to be restricted, whereas after stress, GR binding may facilitate cobinding of MR. This study reveals that the interaction of MRs and GRs with GREs within the genome constitutes an additional level of complexity in hippocampal glucocorticoid action beyond expectancies based on ligand–receptor interactions

Distinct epigenetic and gene expression changes in rat hippocampal neurons after Morris water maze training

Gene transcription and translation in the hippocampus is of critical importance in hippocampus-dependent memory formation, including during Morris water maze (MWM) learning. Previous work using gene deletion models has shown that the immediate-early genes (IEGs) c-Fos, Egr-1 and Arc are crucial for such learning. Recently, we reported that induction of IEGs in sparse dentate gyrus neurons requires ERK MAPK signaling and downstream formation of a distinct epigenetic histone mark (i.e. phospho-acetylated histone H3). Until now, this signaling, epigenetic and gene transcriptional pathway has not been comprehensively studied in the MWM model. Therefore, we conducted a detailed study of the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and serine10 in histone H3 (H3S10p) and induction of IEGs in the hippocampus of MWM trained rats and matched controls. MWM training evoked consecutive waves of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and H3S10 phosphorylation, as well as c-Fos, Egr-1 and Arc induction in sparse hippocampal neurons. The observed effects were most pronounced in the dentate gyrus. A positive correlation was found between the average latency to find the platform and the number of H3S10p-positive dentate gyrus neurons. Furthermore, chromatin immuno-precipitation (ChIP) revealed a significantly increased association of phospho-acetylated histone H3 (H3K9ac-S10p) with the gene promoters of c-Fos and Egr-1, but not Arc, after MWM exposure compared with controls. Surprisingly, however, we found very little difference between IEG responses (regarding both protein and mRNA) in MWM-trained rats compared with matched swim controls. We conclude that exposure to the water maze evokes ERK MAPK activation, distinct epigenetic changes and IEG induction predominantly in sparse dentate gyrus neurons. It appears, however, that a specific role for IEGs in the learning aspect of MWM training may become apparent in downstream AP-1- and Egr-1-regulated (second wave) genes and Arc-dependent effector mechanisms

Hubbard exciton revealed by time-domain optical spectroscopy

We use broadband ultra-fast pump-probe spectroscopy in the visible range to study the lowest excitations across the Mott-Hubbard gap in the orbitally ordered insulator YVO3. Separating thermal and non-thermal contributions to the optical transients, we show that the total spectral weight of the two lowest peaks is conserved, demonstrating that both excitations correspond to the same multiplet. The pump-induced transfer of spectral weight between the two peaks reveals that the low-energy one is a Hubbard exciton, i.e. a resonance or bound state between a doublon and a holon. Finally, we speculate that the pump-driven spin-disorder can be used to quantify the kinetic energy gain of the excitons in the ferromagnetic phase.Comment: 5 pages and 6 figures, 9 pages and 12 figures with additional material