Epitranscriptome of the ventral tegmental area in a deep brain-stimulated chronic unpredictable mild stress mouse model
Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) applied to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) alleviates the depressive symptoms of major depressive disorders. We investigated the mechanism of this effect by assessing gene expression and RNA methylation changes in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) following NAc-DBS in a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mouse model of depression. Gene expression and N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) levels in the VTA were measured in mice subjected to CUMS and then DBS, and transcriptome-wide m6A changes were profiled using immunoprecipitated methylated RNAs with microarrays, prior to gene ontology analysis. The expression levels of genes linked to neurotransmitter receptors, transporters, transcription factors, neuronal activities, synaptic functions, and mitogen-activated protein kinase and dopamine signaling were upregulated in the VTA upon NAc-DBS. Furthermore, m6A modifications included both hypermethylation and hypomethylation, and changes were positively correlated with the upregulation of some genes. Moreover, the effects of CUMS on gene expression and m6A-mRNA modification were reversed by DBS for some genes. Interestingly, while the expression of certain genes was not changed by DBS, long-term stimulation did alter their m6A modifications. NAc-DBS-induced modifications are correlated largely with upregulation but sometimes downregulation of genes in CUMS mice. Our findings improve the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying DBS effects on depression.
Source: Translational Neuroscience
Authors: Nan Song, Jun Du, Yan Gao, Shenglian Yang
Institution: Academy of Military Medical Sciences
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,808
OpenAlex ID: W3098358315